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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has announced the closure of several high-profile corruption and abuse of office cases. Among these include those involving Solicitor General, Marshal Muchende, and Copperbelt Minister, Elisha Matambo, after investigations found no evidence linking them to wrongdoing.
ACC Director-General, Daphne Chabu, said during a media briefing in Lusaka on Thursday that the abuse-of-authority allegations against Muchende had been conclusively investigated and cleared.
She explained that there was no link between him and any alleged bribery involving other officials, prompting the Commission to close the matter.
Chabu also confirmed that investigations into suspected corrupt practices involving officials from the Zambia Army and Kenya-based DLS International Limited had been completed.
The case centred on a US$21.2 million contract awarded by the Ministry of Defence for the supply of equipment for a level-two mobile hospital in the Central African Republic and for the upgrade of Maina Soko Military Hospital.
She said the investigation established that all equipment under the contract were delivered and received, and that the Maina Soko upgrade was 95 percent complete, leading to the closure of the matter.
On the case involving Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, who was accused of possessing high-value motor vehicles suspected to be proceeds of crime, Chabu said the Commission had determined that the vehicles did not belong to him but to another individual who was using his parking yard.
This finding resulted in the closure of the case.
Chabu reported that the Commission, through conviction-based and non-conviction-based forfeiture, recovered significant assets in 2025, including US$390,350, K41,425,499 in cash, and land and properties valued at K34,154,000.
She added that during the same period, the ACC handled 153 cases before the courts, consisting of 122 criminal matters and 31 civil matters.
The Commission secured 16 convictions and recorded eight acquittals.
Twenty-three new criminal matters commenced, six cases were pending judgment, five were discontinued, 16 were pending appeal, and one non-conviction forfeiture application was instituted.
In 2025, the Commission received 896 reports of suspected corruption.
Chabu explained that 493 of these were unrelated to corruption and complainants were guided on how to pursue their cases through relevant institutions.
Seventy-nine cases were referred to appropriate institutions for administrative action, while additional cases originated from the 2024 Auditor General’s Report and the 2024 Financial Intelligence Centre Trends Report.
Twenty cases related to the administration of Constituency Development Funds were also investigated.
From January 2026 to date, the ACC has received 143 reports, of which 72 were corruption-related and 71 were not.
Forty-one cases were referred to other institutions for administrative action, and the Commission is currently investigating 23 cases arising from the 2025 Auditor General’s Report and the FIC Trends Report.
Chabu further disclosed that the Commission recorded 47 arrests, with 33 made in 2025 and 14 so far in 2026. Seven of those arrested were officers from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, who are being investigated for alleged corrupt practices. Investigations in this matter are ongoing.
She highlighted several high-profile cases still before the courts, including the matter of the People versus Chrint Sichamba, Ndozo Lodge Limited and Mulozi Trading Limited, in which the accused are charged with possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime and tax evasion.
Another is the People versus Charles Sipanje, former Permanent Secretary for Northern Province, and two others, who are charged with willful failure to comply with applicable guidelines, as well as corrupt acquisition of public property under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
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