US accuses "magnate" with businesses in Mozambique of corruption involving former Zambian president
Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu is under investigation for suspected corruption, in conjunction with construction mogul Michelo Shakantu. The investigation is being led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), an organization based in Washington, United States of America (USA).
The accusations against former President Lungu focus on allegations that he "accumulated wealth through corrupt activities" in Eswatini, in collaboration with Michelo Shakantu. Shakantu is married to the current Foreign Minister of Eswatini, who has also held the position of Minister of Justice.
Michelo Shakantu is the owner of Inyatsi Mozambique Lda, a company that holds NCC Mozambique Lda, part of the Inyatsi Construction Group Holdings (Pty) Ltd, headquartered in Eswatini.
This group operates in various African countries, including Namibia, Uganda, South Africa, and Zambia. In Mozambique, Inyatsi Mozambique Lda, with a share capital of 13 million meticais, was contracted for the expansion works of National Road Number 4 (N4), on the section between the Tchumene Interchange and Novare.
In 2020, the newspaper "Swaziland News" accused Shakantu's company of corrupt practices that resulted in the impoverishment of about 700,000 citizens in Eswatini, due to the embezzlement of public funds.
"Corruption in this country has subjected about 700,000 citizens to poverty. The government is now struggling to pay suppliers, every penny goes to Inyatsi and companies linked to corrupt syndicates," the newspaper reported on May 29, 2020.
Michelo Shakantu, in addition to being a businessman, is married to the current Foreign Minister of Eswatini, who was also accused by "Eswatini News" of crimes such as drug trafficking and cigarette smuggling, using routes through Mozambique.
The accusations against Edgar Lungu arise from an investigation into suspicious financial flows in Eswatini, involving 890,000 internal records from the Eswatini Financial Intelligence Unit (EFIU). These data were analysed by 38 journalists from 11 different countries.
According to information released by the ICIJ, in 2019, Zambian investigators sought help from their Eswatini counterparts to investigate Lungu. However, it was only on December 6, 2021, that Zambia's financial crime investigators sent a confidential memorandum to their colleagues in Eswatini.
Edgar Lungu, who led Zambia from January 2015 to August 2021, was ousted under accusations of corruption and having an increasingly authoritarian government.
