4 arrested over K1m school feeding graft

4 arrested over K1m school feeding graft

By George Zulu

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested four people for corruption and abuse of authority in Mkushi District over the awarding of a K1 million contract for a school feeding programme.

Those arrested include Patrick Nkhuwa, a district planning officer and Nakeempa Okello, an accounts assistant in the Ministry of Education at the Mkushi District Education Board Secretary (DEBS)’s office.

ACC acting head for corporate communications Chilufya Chisanga said the arrest was in connection with the contract awarded to Ichikwanka Multi-Purpose Cooperative to supply over 350 X 50kg bags of beans at a contract value of K1,073,000, when the cooperative did not meet the required standards to supply goods to government.

“We have arrested and charged Patrick Nkhuwa, a district planning officer and Nakeempa Okello, an accounts assistant in the Ministry of Education at the Mkushi District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) office for corruption involving over K100,000.00,” Chisanga said.

She said Nkhuwa, 40, of High-Cost area and Nakeempa Okello, 45, of Farmers Training Centre (FTC), Mkushi, were jointly charged with one count of abuse of authority of office by public officer, contrary to Section 21 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 of the Laws of Zambia.

She said Nkhuwa was also charged with two other counts, while Okello was charged with one count of corrupt practices.

Chisanga said Joseph Mwape and Dennis Charles Baines, who are employees at a named bank in the district, were also arrested for corruption.

“Dennis Charles Baines, 35, of Plot No. 5016, Low Density area, has been charged with two counts, while Joseph Mwape, 41, of the same residential area, has been charged with one count of corrupt practices with a public officer, contrary to Section 19(2) of the same law,” she said.

Chisanga said in count one, Nkhuwa and Okello, between July 1 and December 31 last year in Mkushi, being public officers jointly and whilst acting together with other unknown persons, corruptly facilitated the awarding of a contract to Ichikwanka Multi-Purpose Cooperative, when it did not qualify or meet the prerequisite standards to supply goods to government.

In count two, it is alleged that during the same period, Nkhuwa and Okello, whilst acting together with other unknown persons, received gratification (money) in relation to the same contract.

“Patrick Nkhuwa allegedly received K34,200 from Dennis Charles Baines and K24,470 from Joseph Mwape, while Nakeempa Okello allegedly received K42,950 from Dennis Charles Baines. The money was an inducement or reward for facilitating the award of the contract to Ichikwanka Multi-Purpose Cooperative, where Dennis Charles Baines is chairperson and Joseph Mwape is secretary,” she said.

Chisanga said between November 1, and December 31, 2025, in Mkushi, whilst acting together with other unknown persons, Baines gave Nkhuwa K34,200 and K42,950 to Okello as gratification.

“Details against Joseph Mwape are that during the same period in Mkushi, whilst acting together with other unknown persons, he gave K24,470 to Patrick Nkhuwa as gratification,” she said.

Chisanga said investigations also revealed that the payments were made by Baines and Mwape as a reward to the two officials for awarding their cooperative the contract.