The Financial Intelligence Centre is a noted intelligence agency that investigates financial frauds in corporate and political domains across the Zambian nation. The agency recently busted an illegal money laundering racket. The most unsettling part of this discovery is the involvement of top lawyers and legal counsellors, along with top officials with the government. Ever since FIC released the list that included the names of individuals involved in the money laundering act, industrialists, corporate houses and common citizens have expressed their concern over the law-making policies and rules that govern the country. Prominent businessmen like Dr. Rajan Mahtani have heavily condemned the act and has demanded strict actions against those caught in this illegal act.

The investigation started when more than 35,000 illegal cash transactions were observed across private and corporate bank accounts of these lawyers and legal counsellors. It was also observed that there was an imbalance between the cash debited and credited back. Further investigation also revealed that many of these cash transactions were again wired to bank accounts in Dubai and China, which are often known as safe havens for illegal money. At the same time, top law firms have been named in this money laundering act. Avik International is one of the firms accused of laundering money worth more than USD 1 million. One of the top names in the list is of Masozi M. Banda, a lawyer from Avik International. Another name which caught the attention of others was of Sakibwa Sikota. He is the owner of Central Chambers, a law firm and is more notorious for his long-term association with the Ventriglias. Most of the cases of the Ventriglias are handled by Sikota, including the long-pending case of Zambezi Portland Cement between them and Dr. Rajan Mahtani.

Nevertheless, the current money laundering bust is expected to deepen and the agency is trying to uncover all those directly and indirectly associated with this act.