The President of the Zambian Football Association (FAZ), Andrew Kamanga, has been arrested and charged with money laundering offences, along with his deputy Reuben Kamanga and two others. The country’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) announced the joint arrest and charging of the individuals for various offences related to financial fraud.
According to reports, the DEC has charged the arrested individuals with conspiring to defraud, collecting money via false pretence, and acquiring financial advantage through false pretence. The fraudulent activity allegedly took place between 1 January and 15 February, coinciding with the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast.
Andrew Kamanga is accused of using the money to fund trips for associates linked to him to the tournament. The individuals arrested alongside Kamanga were identified as Madalitso Kamanga and Jairous Siame, who were part of the association’s support staff but held no executive positions within the football association.
During an interview on Prime Television Zambia, Kamanga defended the role of Madalitso and Siame, stating that they were “part and parcel of FAZ” and had been sent on assignments before without issue. The arrests come ahead of FAZ’s annual general meeting, but a spokesperson for the association stated that Kamanga’s position was not in jeopardy at this time.
The suspects are yet to appear in court, and the spokesperson suggested that Kamanga’s arrest may be part of a larger effort to discredit him ahead of the governing body’s elections next year. The situation remains fluid as the legal process unfolds.