Journalist Surrenders Sh400M Hidden In Her House To Avoid Arrest

A Zambian journalist has surrendered $4m (£3m, about Ksh400 million) found in her house last month as part of a corruption amnesty deal, officials have announced, in a development lifts the lid on a profession that is guarded when it comes to wealth.

Margaret Chisela Musonda, alias Faith Musonda, has also forfeited her house located in an upmarket suburb in the capital, Lusaka, where the amount in local currency and US dollars was found. Officials have not disclosed how she acquired the money and the nature of her wrongdoing, but said she had admitted culpability.

Ms Musonda is a well-known journalist who had a stint at the state broadcaster. She has not commented on the matter. In a statement, a joint investigative team said the deal would see Ms Musonda avoid criminal proceedings.

It said the law allows the state “to grant amnesty to accused persons in certain instances on condition that they admit wrongdoing and return what they wrongfully acquired through corrupt practices”.

The team comprised officers from the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Financial Intelligence Centre.

In most countries, including even Kenya, journalists are used by politicians to clean ill-gotten wealth and by heads of state corporations to clean to siphon money through tenders. (reporting from BBC)

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