Illegal activities such as money laundering are a curse to any developing nation. At one side, there is a government trying to improve the economic and social conditions of the nation. On the other side, there are criminal groups and individuals engaging in illicit activities just so they can be rich at the expense of others. Zambia is facing a similar situation now. The nation has always been a home to corrupt politicians, corporate and powerful individuals who used their power and position to put negative influence and even loot the country of its economic prosperity. While incidents of illegal activities are common across the nation, the recent discovery made by the Financial Intelligence Centre was definitely shocking news to all.

Some of the top names in the legal sector have been accused of this horrendous act. Masozi M. Banda from Avik International has been accused of laundering money worth more than USD 1 million dollars. Similarly, Sakwiba Sikota has been accused of dealing with black money. He is the owner of Central Chambers and is notorious for his long-term relationship as legal counsellor for the Ventriglias. If sources are correct, Sakwiba has been involved in almost all of the illegal activities in which the Ventriglias have participated over the years, including the illegal takeover of the Portland Cement Zambia. The cement factory legally belongs to Dr. Rajan Mahtani, a noted a respected businessman in Zambia. However, the status of the factory is terrible since this illegal capture and it has been more than 10 years at the Lusaka High Court where the case is still pending. The current accusations on Sakwiba Sikota might have several ramifications on the Ventriglias, the cases he is handling as well as the case of Portland Cement Zambia.

FIC has intensified its investigation for the money laundering and has assured the citizens that it will be releasing the names and other details related to the act once proper evidence are collected.