Seven Italian managers at Zambezi Portland Cement yesterday attempted to flee the country, according to The Post newspaper, but were barred by alert immigration officers at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport.
And the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has blocked bank accounts for Zambezi Portland domiciled at First Alliance Bank.
Zambezi Portland Cement faced closure following the expulsion of two of its directors, Italians Valerio Ventriglia and his brother Danielle, from Zambia over a week ago.
The paper reports that seven Italian managers were barred from leaving the country in what appears to be a ploy to cripple the operations of the cement plant, according to close sources.
The foreign investors are well known as opponents in several disputes with the multi-millionaire banker, Rajan Mahtani, who maintains close ties with President Michael Sata, having funded his presidential campaign.
Zambezi Portland Cement operations manager Mwamba Kayula confirmed the development.
“Yes I can confirm that some expatriate workers were this morning (yesterday) turned away from the airport. I really have no idea as to why they were turned away but the information that we have is that the matter of ZPC shareholders is still in court and the expatriates were refused to leave because they still work for Zambezi Portland and that their leaving will compromise the court case,” he said.
And Zambezi Portland Cement operations manager Mwamba Kayula confirmed on Tuesday that the First Alliance account had been blocked but Access and Stanbic accounts were active.
Sources said the accounts had been blocked because of suspected money laundering activities.
And Kayula said the expulsion of the company’s two directors had affected the daily production of cement which was at 1,600 tonnes and expressed worry that the company would not reach the half production capacity.