TOURISM AND ARTS MINISTER SYLVIA MASEBO HAS CLAIMED THAT A CARTEL OF SAFARI HUNTING OPERATORS HAS INFILTRATED MOST GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING THE OPFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION. THIS WAS DURING YESTERDAY’S (TODAY) PROBE TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER MASEBO ABUSED THE MINISTERIAL CODE OF CONDUCT WHEN SHE CANCELED SAFARI HUNTING CONCESSION LICENSES IN 19 HUNTING BLOCKS AS WELL AS THE SUBSEQUENT DISMISSAL OF FIVE ZAMBIA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY DIRECTORS. DURING EXAMINATION IN CHIEF MASEBO TOLD THE JUDGE KAOMA LED TRIBUNAL THAT WHEN SHE BECAME TOURISM AND ARTS MINISTER A SCAM WAS UNEARTHED WHERE 135 SABLES WAS TO BE ILLEGALLY EXPORTED OUT OF THE COUNTRY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT APPROVAL. BUT DURING CROSS EXAMINATION BY PETITIONERS LAWYERS MAKEBI ZULU TOLD THE TRIBUNAL THAT THE EXPORTATION OF 135 SABLES WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED BY VICE PRESIDENT GUY SCOTT BUT MASEBO SAID SHE WAS NOT AWARE AND IT WAS NEWS TO HER. TRIBUNAL CHAIRPERSON JUDGE RHOYAD KAOMA REPEATEDLY ADVISED AN EMOTIONAL MASEBO TO RESPOND TO CERTAIN QUESTIONS POSED TO HER BY PETITIONER’S LAYWERS. THIS WAS AFTER MASEBO CLAIMED THAT THE PETITIONER WILLIAM HARRINGTON INCLUDING HIS LAWYERS HAVE BEEN HIRED BY A CARTEL OF SAFARI HUNTING OPERATORS. AT THIS POINT THE THREE MAN TRIBUNAL THROUGH JUDGE KAOMA ASKED MASEBO TO WITHDRAW THE ACCUSATION AND SHE RELUCTANTLY WITHDREW THE STATEMENT. MASEBO SUBMITTED BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL THAT SHE DOES NOT REGRET THE ACTION SHE TOOK ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING THAT PRESIDENT MICHAEL SATA HAD PROVIDED THE DIRECTION OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IN THE COUNTRY. SHE SUBMITTED THAT PRESIDENT SATA DIRECTED THE DISMISSAL OF 5 ZAMBIA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY DIRECTORS DUE TO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REACHING HIS OFFICE. THE RESPONDENTS’ ARE EXPECTED TO CONCLUDE WITH THEIR WITNESSES TODAY (7-03-14) AND THEREAFTER THE TRIBUNAL WILL COME UP WITH A REPORT WHICH WILL BE AVAILED TO THE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE PRESS. MS-5FM-ENDS//
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 16:03:39 +0000
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