Lusaka, Zambia, 14 October: The Zambia’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has disclosed that its investigations into Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president, Kalusha Bwalya about the money he received from Qatari official has reached an advanced stage.
ACC spokesperson, Timothy Moono told journalists at the news conference that the matter has now reached at a stage where the commission is now touching base with international investigators to compare notes of their findings.
ACC spokesperson, Timothy Moono told journalists at the news conference that the matter has now reached at a stage where the commission is now touching base with international investigators to compare notes of their findings.
“We did initiate an investigation regarding an official of FAZ, the president of FAZ Mr Kalusha Bwalya who is alleged to have received US$80,000 from a Prince in Qatar.
“And that enquiry has reached advanced stage and the stage it has reached is that we have begun engaging our counterparts over foreign jurisdictions to compare our notes on their investigations as well as ours,” he explained.
The publicist justified the commission decision to solicit international input on the issue by reminding reporters that the international investigators had already started a probe into the issue so this is just a matter of comparing their findings.
“You are also aware that there [are] other investigations instituted out there and so we begun to engage internationally with other foreign jurisdictions so that we can compare notes on the information that is available,” he Moono.
Bwalya is alleged to have received money amounting to US$80,000 from Qatari tycoon, Mohammed Bin Hammam which according to local media reports at the time was used to influence him to vote for Qatar to host 2022 World Cup.
However, Bwalya who is seeking third term as local FA president was not available for comment on the latest development.
Bwalya strenuously denied bribery allegations but was on the record to have admitted to have received some money from the Qatari but said the actual amount was US$50,000.
He also claimed that Hammam was his personal friend and the money was a loan which was meant to assist Zambia FA to bankroll some of its important initiatives as at the time in question the FA was embroiled in wrangles with the then government of Rupiah Banda.
“It was a loan which I had to pay [back later] when I said I had the money [to pay back] they said no, and that [is] where we are [now], Bin Hammam is a personal friend of mine, I knew him for a long time.
“I told him we had problems at FAZ, he said to me ‘if you need any help; let me know, so he said he was going to help me,” Bwalya explained.
“And that enquiry has reached advanced stage and the stage it has reached is that we have begun engaging our counterparts over foreign jurisdictions to compare our notes on their investigations as well as ours,” he explained.
The publicist justified the commission decision to solicit international input on the issue by reminding reporters that the international investigators had already started a probe into the issue so this is just a matter of comparing their findings.
“You are also aware that there [are] other investigations instituted out there and so we begun to engage internationally with other foreign jurisdictions so that we can compare notes on the information that is available,” he Moono.
Bwalya is alleged to have received money amounting to US$80,000 from Qatari tycoon, Mohammed Bin Hammam which according to local media reports at the time was used to influence him to vote for Qatar to host 2022 World Cup.
However, Bwalya who is seeking third term as local FA president was not available for comment on the latest development.
Bwalya strenuously denied bribery allegations but was on the record to have admitted to have received some money from the Qatari but said the actual amount was US$50,000.
He also claimed that Hammam was his personal friend and the money was a loan which was meant to assist Zambia FA to bankroll some of its important initiatives as at the time in question the FA was embroiled in wrangles with the then government of Rupiah Banda.
“It was a loan which I had to pay [back later] when I said I had the money [to pay back] they said no, and that [is] where we are [now], Bin Hammam is a personal friend of mine, I knew him for a long time.
“I told him we had problems at FAZ, he said to me ‘if you need any help; let me know, so he said he was going to help me,” Bwalya explained.
By: Joel Chirwa
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