By JAMES  KUNDA and Brian Hatyoka –

SOUTHERN Province Permanent Secretary, Annie Sinyangwe has been arrested for failure to comply with procedure in awarding an K89,000 contract.

. Sinyangwe

Ms Sinyangwe, 48, was arrested yesterday by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for failing to comply with procedure when she awarded a road paving contract worth K89,253 to Moonstone Investments Limited of Switzerland.
The contract was awarded between January 1, 2012 and August 31, 2012, when Ms Sinyangwe was Permanent Secretary in charge of administration at Cabinet Office in Lusaka.
She tasked Moonstone Investments to pave the car park at Cabinet Office but the transaction was prejudicial to the interest of the institution which is a public body under the Government.
ACC public relations manager Timothy Moono announced the arrest of Ms Sinyangwe yesterday.
Mr Moono said Ms Sinyangwe had been charged with failure to comply with procedure relating to procurement.
Ms Sinyangwe of plot number SUB G/16520 off Kasama Road near Lilayi Old Airstrip, has since been released on bond and will appear in court on Wednesday next week.
She said in an interview yesterday that the ACC was merely doing its job in pursuing an allegation against her.
“ACC is just doing their job and there is nothing I can say over the matter. As at now, I am still working in the office.
“An allegation on me does not mean I am guilty. The appointing authority can make a decision but so far I am still in the office,” Ms Sinyangwe said.
She has previously served as permanent secretary for Central Province.