AG Probes Alleged Abuse of Funds At City Market

The Office of the Auditor General (AG) has launched a probe into allegations regarding the abuse of funds at City Market.

The allegations centre on the market’s management and undeclared revenues.

According to Lusaka City Mayor Miles Sampa the AG is investigating the misapplication of funds, which may have resulted in a failure of the market to contribute the proper amount of revenue to the local authority.

Sampa, who has previously accused the City Market manage of looting more than K12 million has been quoted as stating, “I wrote to the town clerk, I first researched in the council and books to see how much was deposited from City Market versus what they had reported was generated in 2019. So, noticed that there was a huge difference and that the figures don’t make sense; there is so much revenue realised and only a little bit was brought to the council.”

According to the Mayor the City Market has been paying workers in advance and giving themselves advances and loans, as well as holding on to money rather than remitting all the realised revenue. Sampa previously disclosed that City Market generated a total revenue of K13,626,242.12 in 2019, but only remitted K60,000.00 to the LCC Main Bank Accounts.

Sampa has also stated that he may send in auditors from the council to look at the revenues at Lumumba Bus Station, which he claims are also negligible.

“Without money at the council, we can’t pay workers,” the Mayor stressed.