By JAMES KUNDA –
FORMER Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor has been arrested for alleged abuse of authority of office and willful failure to comply with procurement procedures involving K997,600.
However, Ms Kristafor, 54 of plot number 4424/199 Highlands in Livingstone, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“Ms Kristafor has appeared in court today (yesterday) and pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was released on bond and will appear in the Livingstone Magistrates Court on May 28, 2015 and June 30, 2015 for mention and July 14, 2015 for commencement of trial,” Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) public relations manager Timothy Moono revealed in a statement.
According to the ACC statement, the Government joint investigations team yesterday arrested Ms Kristafor for willful failure to comply with applicable procedure or guidelines relating to procurement and tendering of contracts.
Ms Kristafor was also charged with one count of abuse of authority of office contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
In the first count, Ms Kristafor between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 willfully failed to comply with procedure in the manner she varied K997,600 without authority from the treasury.
She used the money to purchase two second hand rehabilitated graders from Black Hodge Limited in Kitwe for the Rural Roads Unit in Livingstone.
In the second count, Ms Kristafor between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 arbitrarily directed and signed for the full payment to procure the graders.
This was before the contract was executed and goods delivered rendering her action prejudicial to the rights and interests of the Government.
Ms Kristafor served as permanent secretary for Southern Province in the MMD government untill 2011.
Meanwhile, two Government officers in Chipata have been arrested by ACC for corrupt practices.
Veronica Daka, 54, of plot number 5065, Moth Extension and Joseph Lungu, 35, of plot number 666A, in the same area have been jointly charged for corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue.
Ms Daka is a senior executive officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock while Mr Lungu is the human resource development officer at Lundazi Community District Health office under the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health.
Mr Moono said the offences were committed when Ms Daka and Mr Lungu served at provincial administration of Eastern Province as chief personnel officer and acting chief human resource development officer respectively.
In count one, Ms Daka and Mr Lungu  between September, 2011 and June, 2012 jointly and while working together with other persons fraudulently acquired K6,969.5, public revenue purporting to have used K11,060.5 on the conference facilities and meals for a workshop when in fact only K4,091.0 was used.
In the second count, the duo in their current capacities, between September, 2011 and June, 2012 and while working together with other persons fraudulently acquired public revenue amounting to K3,000 purporting to have used the money for fuel purchases.
In count three, the duo between September, 2011 and June, 2012 while working together with other persons unlawfully acquired K1,800, public revenue purporting to have used the money to purchase of toner.
In count four, Ms Daka and Mr. Lungu between September, 2011 and June, 2012 jointly and while working together with other persons knowingly and fraudulently uttered false receipts from various business entities with intent to deceive the Eastern Province Provincial Administration.
The two have since been released on bond awaiting appearance in court.