Mozambique loses millions of dollars through money laundering

18 April 2017

| Mozambique

The fraudulent use of the financial system to conceal or disguise illicit financial flows caused financial losses to the Mozambican state estimated at 1.887 billion meticais (US$26.4 million) in 2016, according to a report from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).

 In the report, which will be presented to the Mozambican parliament, the PGR says that suspected fraudulent uses of the financial system include situations such as the inflows of cash from criminal activity, such as misappropriation of state funds, abductions, human trafficking, trade of narcotics and psychotropic substances and parts of protected species.

 The PGR also argues that loss of profit due to criminal activity has greater dissuasive power than restricting the freedom of offenders and it therefore suggests the creation of an institution for the recovery of criminal proceeds as recommended by international conventions, which has worked well in several countries.

 “We continue to deal with fraudulent schemes involving circulation of large sums of money outside the financial system, fueling an informal circuit at home and abroad. Given that large amounts of money are involved in this type of crime, the PGR is working with the Bank of Mozambique to reinforce measures to control currency,” said the PGR document.

In the document quoted by daily newspaper Notícias, the PGR estimates that 10.5% of people trafficked in Mozambique have suffered sexual exploitation and 89.5% organ harvesting and forced labour. (macauhub)

'Trust accounts linked to money-laundering activities’

April 18, 2017 in National, News

FINANCE minister Patrick Chinamasa has disclosed that several trust accounts were being investigated by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ) financial intelligence unit, amid suspicion that they were involved in money-laundering activities.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

In a ministerial statement issued last week, Chinamasa said the RBZ’s probe team had received a total of 474 suspicious transaction reports involving trust accounts run by professional bodies.

He said this was a 2,5% increase in the number of suspicious cases reported during the same period in 2015.

“Over this period, 80% of the suspicious transaction reports were lodged by the banks, with money transfer agencies and an insurance company accounting for the remaining 20%,” Chinamasa said.

“The concern by the financial action taskforce is that sometimes money-laundering is done through trust accounts of professional bodies.”

The Finance minister said non-financial businesses such as the real estate sector, casinos, the legal profession, chartered accountants and several other service providers were lagging behind in implementing the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financial Terrorism safeguards, although the sectors were at high risk.

“There is need for amendment of the law to allow beneficiary information to be obtained as well as introduce proportionate, dissuasive and effective sanctions against non-profit organisations found to be aligned to any terrorist activity,” Chinamasa said.

“I shall pursue the strengthening of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act by an amendment inserting a specific requirement for financial institutions to put in place risk-based systems and controls that would determine the circumstances under which a customer may utilise a business relationship or carry out a transaction prior to verification of their identity.”

Read More: https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/04/18/trust-accounts-linked-money-laundering-activities/

Nigeria's anti-corruption unit finds $43 million cash in Lagos apartment.

By Yemisi Adegoke, CNN  Updated 1403 GMT (2203 HKT) April 14, 2017

Lagos (CNN)The Nigerian anti-corruption unit discovered more than $43 million in US dollars at an upscale apartment in Lagos.

The anti-graft agency said in a statement it raided the apartment Tuesday after a tipoff about a "haggard" woman in "dirty clothes" taking bags in and out of the apartment.

The agency said it also found 23.2 million naira (Nigerian currency worth $75,000) and £27,800 (UK currency, worth $35,000 US) "neatly arranged" inside cabinets hidden behind wooden panels of a bedroom wardrobe.

The commission said the funds are "suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity" but no arrests have been made yet.

Nigeria has struggled with corruption and looted funds for decades, but the watchdog unit has been on a lucky streak.

Earlier in the week, the agency discovered around 250 million naira in cash ($817,000) in a Lagos market and a further 448 million naira cash ($1.5 million) at a shopping plaza.

These gains have been credited to a whistleblowing policies launched in December by Nigeria's finance minister.

Whistleblowers can now anonymously provide information through a secure portal, if the information leads to the recovery of stolen public funds, the whistleblower is entitled to between 2.5%-5% of the total money recovered.

In February, the minister of information, Lai Muhammad, said the policy has led to the recovery of over $180 billion.

Read More: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/13/africa/efcc-recovers-funds-nigeria/

DEC nabs an accountant for money laundering

April 8, 2017

THE Drug Enforcement Commission(DEC) through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU)has arrested a 42 year-old female Accountant of Lusaka for money laundering activities involving over K90,000.
Cecilia Muntemba, 42, an Accountant of Plot No. 184 Gardenia Avondale in Lusaka has been arrested for theft by public servant and money laundering contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Muntemba on dates unknown but between 1st January, 2013 and 31st June, 2014 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown did steal K91, 158 from the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) where she used to work as a Revenue Officer.

DEC Theresa Katongo confirmed the development in a statement on Friday stating that the the suspect was currently on Police Bond and would appear in court soon.

Meanwhile the Commission has in various parts of the country arrested 40 people for unlawful cultivation and trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances weighing 2.4 tonnes.

Those arrested and jointly charged include Steven Micheal Masungwa, 22, a Cobbler of Mwaka area in Tunduma, Tanzania and Emmanuel Ndalusia Mweipuja, 27, a vendor of Nyamwanga area in Tunduma Tanzania, both Tanzanian nationals for trafficking in 10 sachets of heroin.

The two suspects were apprehended from Chiyanga black market in Nakonde District.

Others arrested include Friday Chanda, 35, of Chanda village in Serenje District, Selita Moonga, 49, of Chiyaba village in Chibombo District, Betty Mashinga, 34, of Mafula area in Kabompo District, Morris Mukonde, 50, of Matelo village in Kawambwa District, Augustine
Mwewa, 41, Dennis Mwaange, 32 .

While other include  Simon Bupe, 32 all of 47 miles farm block in Kawambwa District, Liwoyo Liwoyo, 44, of Chisanga area in Mongu District, Mwakoi Namakando, 49, of Mwakoi village in Kaoma District, Douglas Chiyanda, 37, of Munsaka village in Kalomo District and Chifumu Banda, 26, of Titus village in Lundazi District.
All suspects will appear in court soon.

Another Accountant nabbed

Read More at: https://www.lusakatimes.com/2017/04/08/dec-nabs-accountant-money-laundering/

Recent attacks show pirates off Somalia's coast still a potent threat

Originally published by the UN News Centre

5 April 2017 - Noting that recent attacks on commercial ships off the coast of Somalia highlight the continued threat of piracy, UNODC has urged ships to follow advice of navies and that of the International Maritime Organization while planning passage through the region.

"After three attacks, following a lull of five years, it is clear that Somali pirates are resurgent and intent on continuing attacks on commercial shipping," said UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov, in a news release yesterday.

"I urge the international community to be vigilant, to work in close partnership and to hold the Somali pirates accountable," he added.

Over the course of last month, Motor Tanker (a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil) Aris 13, fishing vessel Asayr 2 and cargo ship Al Kaushar were attacked by Somali pirates. While the crews of Aris 13, and Asayr 2 were released, Al Kaushar's crew are reportedly still held hostage by the pirates.

According to UNODC, large parts of the Somali coast remain beyond the reach of law enforcement authorities and thus called on ships planning passage off the country to follow the advice of navies and the International Maritime Organization ( IMO).

The UN agency added that it continued to support the trials of piracy suspects in the region and to the Somali maritime law enforcement agencies as they extend their reach around the Somali coast.

"The threat of Somali piracy has never gone away: it has been suppressed by the good work of the shipping industry and their security teams, navies, and UNODC's support to the trial and imprisonment of 1,300 pirates," expressed Alan Cole, the head of Maritime Crime Programme at UNODC.

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2017/April/recent-attacks-show-pirates-off-somalias-coast-still-a-potent-threat--un-agency.html?ref=fs2

The woman risking her life to save Africa's elephants

Paid for by Vulcan.

Georgina Kamanga is on a mission to show the world that Africans are passionate about protecting wildlife.

As the first woman to head the intelligence and investigations unit of the department of national parks and wildlife Zambia (DNPW), Georgina Kamanga fights daily to protect endangered animals, often risking both economic and personal safety to do so.

What led you to this line of work?

My passion for wildlife conservation started at an early age. I am an indigenous person from chief Kakumbi’s area, one of the chiefdoms on the periphery of the South Luangwa. As a young girl I witnessed a number of incidents where poachers from my community would kill animals in the surrounding areas. Back then, the DNPW intelligence was very thin on the ground and could not come into our area to see how the animals were being killed.

During my early school years I joined the Chongololo clubs to try and pioneer wildlife crime prevention sensitisation programmes.

When I completed my senior secondary education I was offered a place at the University of Zambia in the school of law. I declined that offer and joined the Norad-funded Luangwa integrated resource development project (LIRDP) as a law enforcement and evaluation officer.

I went on to study wildlife management at Mweka College of African Wildlife Management in Tanzania, to equip myself and broaden my scope in the fight against wildlife crimes in Zambia. After I graduated from the college I began working as an investigation officer in intelligence and investigations unit. I was later promoted to the rank of senior investigations officer, administration and intelligence operations.

Why do you think it is important for women to be involved?

When the DNPW was established in 1952, the authorities overlooked the involvement of women in the fight against wildlife crimes. All the vacancies for wildlife scouts and managers were reserved for men. It wasn’t until 1988 that the department decided on a trial basis to recruit a female officer who did exemplary work.

The intelligence and investigations unit was created in 1995. Like the DNPW in 1952, it was dominated by men. When I joined the unit it was so easy for us to penetrate most of the syndicates as many criminals were more inclined to discuss matters with women than they were with men. The statistics in Zambia have shown that women are more proactive, reliable and less corrupt. Women are often mothers who understand the perils of giving birth, and the loss that’s associated with such illegal activities.

What is the hardest part of your job?

The hardest part of my job has been organising the logistics of intelligence and investigations operations at extremely short notice.

The fight against poachers has become so complicated due to rampant poaching and trafficking of ivory and pangolin. The other drawback has been a lack of surveillance equipment.

What do you find the most fulfilling?

What I find most fulfilling is the amount of external support that we receive from the wildlife crime prevention project from Vulcan and the Wildcat foundation. It shows that the unit is not fighting wildlife crime alone. And when we conduct a successful operation, that just makes my world go round.

What was the most memorable part of filming The Ivory Game?

The most memorable part of filming for me was the moment when we busted in at the house of the most wanted Congolese ivory dealer in Lusaka and found the suspects red-handed. That was the climax of my career.

What obstacles have you faced as a woman fighting wildlife crime?

The job is demanding and requires me to be on call 24/7. I’ve had to organise a team at midnight in a very short amount of time so that we could conduct an urgent operation. Getting a team together at that time was a nightmare. As a result I established a rapid response team. This special elite unit is on call 24/7. It has made it easier to get officers together at short notice as they are always on standby.

What advice would you give women interested in an anti-poaching career?

My job is very thought-provoking and challenging. It requires a person who is focused, a fast thinker, someone who is social but firm. I ask women to take up this challenge. Women should not look at themselves as women in a male-dominated industry; they have the capacity to do much more than men.

Content on this page is paid for and provided by Vulcan, a sponsor of the Guardian’s Global Development Professionals Network.

Parliament has passed new amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act

David Kugonza,  March 16th, 2017

Parliament has passed new amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act intended to tighten the noose on terrorists and those who finance terror.

The bill was introduced in November 2016 and referred to parliament’s committee on Finance to harmonize key definitions used in the 2013 Anti-Money Laundering Act.

The bill also provides for the carrying out risk assessment by accountable persons while providing for procedures relating to suspicious transactions and exchange of information obligations by international best practices.

With the new amendments, government will be required to establish a Uganda Anti-Money Laundering Committee that will be charged with over-seeing monitory transactions.

David Kugonza

March 16th, 2017

Tanzania’s most wanted elephant ivory trafficker dubbed “The Devil” sentenced to 12 years in prison

By Paul Kadushi.

Tanzania’s most wanted elephant ivory trafficker dubbed “The Devil” sentenced to 12 years in prison

Resident Magistrate’s Court of Dodoma has convicted Malyango brothers with offences of leading organized crime and unlawful dealing in government trophies contrary to the provisions of the Wildlife Conservation Act, No. 5 of 2009 and Economic and Organised Crime Control Act, [Cap. 200 RE 2002].  They were accordingly sentenced to serve 12 years imprisonment. During trial, the prosecution side comprising of Attorneys from the Environmental Crimes Desk at the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, paraded a total number of 11 witnesses including three motor vehicles (Toyota Rav 4, Honda CRV and Toyota Canter) which were instrumentalities of crime.

Upon conviction the court confiscated to the Government all three motor vehicles and whereas the prosecution will soon file Forfeiture/Confiscation application against tainted properties of accused persons. 

Follow the Links below :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-4278634/Tanzania-poacher-gets-12-years-prison-documentary.html 

Black rhino famed for looking like it was puckering up for a kiss is killed by poachers ‘as it tried to find its pregnant mate’ that was shot dead last month in South African wildlife reserve 

• The lovable rhino called Wozani lived near South Africa's Kruger National Park
• Ruthless killers hacked off his horn, tail, ears and feet after shooting him dead
• It is thought Wozani had wandered off in an attempt to find his pregnant mate
• But his mate, Busa, had been shot a month earlier by the same brutal poachers

A rare black rhino who was famed for blowing a kiss to the camera has been slaughtered by poachers.

Ruthless killers hacked off his horn, tail, ears and feet after shooting him dead.

The loveable rhino, called Wozani, lived on a game reserve near the Kruger National Park in South Africa and it is thought he wandered off in an attempt to find his pregnant mate, who had been killed a month earlier by the same brutal poachers.

It is understood the rhino went in search of his mate called Busa, according to The Times. 

The female rhino was pregnant, but was shot dead by the same poachers near Hoedspruit in Limpopo province last month. 

Two groups of poachers targeted the same area over the weekend, but while one group were successfully deterred, a second group went unnoticed and targeted the rhino.

Images of Wozani pouting went round the world last year.

Photographer Sue Harwood, from Johannesburg, paid tribute to her 'famous friend', saying she was 'sickened' by the brutal killing.

Brutes shot dead Wozani in South Africa

She said: 'I was physically ill and moved to tears when I found out about Wozani this morning.

'He was so friendly and gave us the gift of many really close encounters with him and I am totally heartbroken.

'R.I.P. darling boy.'

It is the latest in a series of high-profile rhino killings after last Tuesday a white rhino was shot dead by poachers who broke into a Parisian zoo.

Four-year-old Vince was shot in the head three times and had his horn hacked off with a chainsaw.

Rhinos are often slaughtered for their ivory horns, which can fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds on the black market.

Sue reckons Wozani's foot and tail were also am**ted to 'prove' he was a wild rhino, which makes him more valuable.

She added: 'Not only were his horns hacked off by the poachers, but his tail, ears and one of his feet was also am**ted.

'No doubt this was to prove the horns are from a wild rhino who has been killed - a product that will now be perceived to be of superior quality and have more medicinal power.' 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4312132/Famous-black-rhino-slaughtered-poachers-South-Africa.html#ixzz4bNe2t3nZ
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Saisie record de drogue: le principal suspect a quitté le pays

10 Mars 2017 By DEFIMEDIA.INFO .

Le principal suspect dans l’enquête sur la saisie record dans le port de 135 kilos d’héroïne valant plus de Rs 2 milliards a quitté le pays en catimini. Il s’agit d’une personne qui travaille dans le secteur portuaire.

Nous avons appris qu’un premier suspect a quitté le pays en catimini la veille de l’opération. C’est une personne qui était dans le viseur de l’Adsu depuis plusieurs mois. Elle a déjà été arrêtée par la brigade antidrogue. Nous avons obtenu des indications sur ses implications dans ce cas. C’est une personne qui travaille dans le secteur portuaire. Nous sommes en contact avec nos collaborateurs à l’étranger pour pouvoir le retracer », a déclaré le patron de la brigade antidrogue, le Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Choolun Bhojoo, en conférence de presse ce vendredi 10 Mars.

C’est jeudi 9 mars que l’Adsu a réalisé ce joli coup de filet. La drogue était dissimulée dans des compresseurs utilisés essentiellement pour la peinture des automobiles. Les compresseurs se trouvaient dans un conteneur en provenance d’Afrique du Sud. Et chaque compresseur contenait environ 20 sachets d’héroïne.

Using Google Translate:

Record drug seizure: the main suspect has left the country

10 March 2017 By DEFIMEDIA.INFO.

Mauritius. The main suspect in the investigation of the record seizure in the port of 135 kilos of heroin worth more than Rs 2 billion left the country on the sly. It is a person who works in the port sector.

We learned that a first suspect left the country on the eve of the operation. This is a person who was under the surveilance of the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) for several months. She has already been arrested by the anti-drug brigade. We have obtained guidance on its implications in this case. He is a person who works in the port sector. We are in contact with our staff abroad to be able to trace it, "said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Choolun Bhojoo, the head of the anti-drug brigade, at a press conference on Friday (March 10th).

It was Thursday, March 9th, that the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) made this nice strike. The drugs were hidden in compressors used primarily for painting automobiles. The compressors were in a container from South Africa. And each compressor contained about 20 bags of heroin.