Investigations
Investigations of suspected cases of corruption and related crimes are conducted by the Investigations Department of the Commission. The Department thus houses one of the Commission’s core functions. It is responsible for the investigation of corruption and other related crimes.
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The Department’s principal functions are:
- To receive and investigate
complaints of alleged or suspected corrupt practices
- Intelligence gathering and data
analysis
Once the
ACC receives reports of alleged or suspected corrupt practices the Director
General then authorises inquiries to be conducted. Those found with cases to
answer under the ACC Act are taken to court for trial and the Commission is
represented by the Legal and Prosecutions Department. It is however important
to note that an investigation can lead to the following outcomes:
- Prosecution of the accused once enough
evidence of the commission of an offence is adduced and the Director of Public
Prosecutions gives consent to prosecute the suspected offender.
- Exonerating an accused person if
there is no evidence that points to wrong doing.
- Administrative action where
evidence is insufficient to sustain a case in court or prove to the commission
of an offence beyond reasonable doubt. In such a situation where evidence is insufficient,
but the Commission believes that there is a loophole for corruption or an
accused could have engaged in bad behaviour which cannot be proved to be
corruption, an investigation can end up in a recommendation for administrative
action.
- The Commission can refer any case
to any relevant agency that is deemed to have adequate authority to deal with
cases that do not fall under the Commission’s jurisdiction. Some cases of
outright fraud, theft, drug abuse and the like have been referred to the Zambia
Police or the Drug Enforcement Commission for them to competently handle.
The
Anti-Corruption Act No 3 of 2012 spells out what constitutes an offence of
corruption for which the Commission will investigate and prosecute. According
to the Act these offences include:
- soliciting,
accepting, obtaining, giving, promising or offering of a gratification in return for a favour. The Act
defines gratification as any corrupt payment, whether in cash or in kind.
- Misuse or abuse of public office
for private or personal gain.
- A public officer who lives beyond
one’s past and present official emoluments. This offence suggests that a public
officer must prove that the wealth they have acquired is within their past and
present official emoluments. If they fail to provide an explanation of how they
acquired such wealth or property, this may be deemed to have been corruptly or
ill-gotten.
The
Commission has since inception investigated a lot of cases of corruption
falling within the Act as the Commission Annual Reports indicate. ”LESS”
Legal and Prosecutions
The Legal and Prosecutions Directorate is charged with the responsibility of prosecuting offences under the Anti-Corruption Act No 3 of 2012. Section 6 (1) (b) (ii) of the Act also empowers the Commission to prosecute such other offences under any written law that may come to the attention of the Commission in the course of an investigation for corruption. (The Anti-Corruption Act No 3 of 2012)
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As such
the Legal and Prosecutions Directorate carries out the prosecutorial functions
of the Commission which includes:
- Rendering legal advice on the
on-going inquiries and giving legal opinions on dockets upon conclusion of any
inquiry.
- The Department also drafts all
charges and consents for DPP’s consideration and prosecutes all cases of
corruption and such other offences that may come to the attention of the
commission in the course of any investigation of corruption.
- The Department also represents
the commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, in all civil
matters.
- It also undertake legal research
in order to enhance the capacity of the ACC to implement its mandate.
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Community Education
The Community Education Department is responsible for disseminating information and fostering public support against corruption through education and awareness programs as provided under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012. It is also responsible for cultivating and managing relationships with stakeholders and promoting the vision and corporate identity of the ACC.
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The principal functions of the Department are:
- Disseminate information to the
public and enlist their support against corruption through education and
awareness programmes
- Cultivate and coordinate
relationships with Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations involved in
anti-corruption activities and civic advocacy.
- Produce and provide systematic
information on corruption and the ACC through information; education and
campaign materials.
- Coordinate ACC’s internal and
external communication.
- Undertake the Commission’s Public
Relations function.
The
Commission conducts educational campaigns to the public or the community in
various forms. These include lectures, radio programmes, workshops, seminars,
and public campaigns.
The ACC has the duty to mobilize and foster public support from civil society in the fight against corruption and works closely with the government, Civil Society and private institutions. The fight against corruption is not for the ACC alone but for everyone.
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Corruption Prevention
The function of corruption prevention is undertaken by the Prevention Department. The Department is responsible for providing technical and advisory services to public and private sector institutions with the objective of preventing the occurrence of corruption.
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The Department’s principal functions are as follows:
- lead the ACC’s co-ordinating role of Government anti-corruption programmes and activities by developing and facilitating the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Policy and Implementation Plan aimed at achieving a harmonized and focused anti-corruption fight;
- conduct research and surveys to generate baseline information on corruption in order to facilitate the development of appropriate measures for the effective prevention and combating of corruption;
- examine the practices and procedures of public and private bodies in order to facilitate the discovery of corrupt practices and secure the revision of methods of work or procedures which may be prone and conducive to corrupt practices;
- advise public and private bodies on ways and means of preventing corrupt practices through the revision and implementation of administrative procedures and methods of work compatible with the effective performance of the client body’s duties;
- liaison with respective public bodies, develop and implement programmes and activities aimed at enhancing integrity and public service delivery by staff;
- maintain a national level data-base on corruption to facilitate decision-making on anti-corruption;
- monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of institutional programmes and activities.
The Department also sits on various Standing and Ad hoc Committees to enhance transparency and accountability in the delivery of public services. In this regard the Department is divided into three Units namely: Institutional Advisory; Corruption Prevention Operations, and; Research.
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Human Resource and Administration
The Human Resource and Administration Department is responsible for providing resource management and administration services that supports delivery of operational outputs of other departments in the Commission and facilitates their performance. The department’s principal functions are:
- Human Resource Management
- Human Resource Development
- Financial Management
- Office Administration
- Secretarial Service
- Records Management
- Information Technology and Communication Service