A alleged scam has been unearthed in which one of Zambia’s richest business families has been using law enforcement agencies to stop anyone from coming up with a competing business.
Trade Kings Ltd, which is the country’s largest locally owned company, has allegedly been using the Zambia Police, Office of the President and the Immigration Department to intimidate and deport business competitors without the authority of the President.
According to investigations conducted by Zambia Reports, Trade Kings Ltd. owned by the Patel brothers allegedly influenced the deportation of a Mr. Gajula Sreenivasa Murthy to India for having attempted to launch a new packaging company that they thought would be a competitor to their business.
This was after Mr. Murthy who had worked for trade Kings Limited for 14 years and rose to the rank of packaging manager handed in a resignation letter to management at Trade Kings. Trade Kings Management forced Mr. Murthy to sign a very lengthy and burdensome agreement that the Zambia Reports believes was done by one of Lusaka prominent lawyers who will be mentioned soon.
Without a deportation order signed by the Minister of Home Affairs in the name of the President, Trade Kings management allegedly deported Mr. Murthy using some immigration officers, office of the President officials and some Police officers, according to claims made by a source interviewed by Zambia Reports.
Some of the officers involved in the matter are a detective Inspector Banda from Frauds department at Police Headquarters and a detective Zyambo from the same department. Two unnamed Intelligence officers and other two immigration officers whom the Zambia Reports is verifying identities also aided the illegal deportation of Mr. Murthy.
Meanwhile, information reaching Zambia Reports indicates that Home Affairs Minister Davis Mwila has refused to yield to pressure from probably Zambia’s richest family to deport Mr. Murthy. Mr. Murthy was asked to come back to the country by his lawyers Gilbert Phiri and Keith Mweemba because he was not deported by the Zambian government.
He came back to the country this week. A source informs Zambia Reports that upon returning to the country, some immigration officers who are allegedly on Trade Kings Payroll informed the company’s management who in return sent Intelligence Officers to threaten Mr. Murthy. The two Intelligence officers however could not do anything to Mr. Murthy as he had quickly called his lawyers who arrived on time.
By press time, Mr. Murthy could not speak to this reporter as he was in hiding fearing Zambia’s most powerful men.
This is not the first time Zambians and permanent residents have been be treated to such schemes. The former Finance Bank Chairman Rajan Mathani has used similar tactics like the Trade Kings brothers who would like to dominate the manufacturing sector when he bribed officers to deport managers of Zambezi Portland Cement (those deportations were later reversed by a court).
Trade Kings has even gone to the extent of sponsoring its Corporate Affairs Director Bright Chunga to be President of the Zambia Association of Manufacturers. Trade Kings group of companies includes Trade Kings Limited, Swissbake Limited, Knockout Brands Limited, Yoyo Foods Limited, Royal Oak Limited and Big Tree Brands Limited.
In another development lawyers representing Mr. Murthy have sent a demand letter to Trade Kings Limited to handover all the equipment they illegally confiscated, according to documents seen by Zambia Reports.
In coming days, Zambia Reports will continue its investigation into the matter, including a testimony from Mrs. Murthy.
The post Trade Kings Accused of Using Cops to Block Competitors appeared first on Zambia Reports.
