Warm congratulations to our partners at the Drug Enforcement Commission and National Prosecution Authority of Zambia for a successful outcome in a high-profile corruption case involving Zambia’s former Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Former Minister Joseph Malanji was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on 4 September 2025, having been convicted of seven out of eight counts of corruption. The offences include the misappropriation of funds designated for one of Zambia's overseas diplomatic missions and the acquisition of two helicopters with illicitly obtained funds. 

Former Treasury Secretary Fredson Yamba also received a three-year sentence in the same case, which involved the irregular transfer of K108 million (around USD 4.5 million) from the public treasury.

The multinational investigation involved close cooperation with agencies in several jurisdictions, including the Asset Forfeiture Unit of South Africa, which moved swiftly to identify and freeze one of the helicopters. Assistance from the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) and Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative also proved vital.

Gilbert Phiri, Zambia’s Director of Public Prosecutions said:

“The conviction of the former Minister, in this instance, demonstrates that Zambia is serious about fighting grand corruption and holding those responsible for misappropriating resources for their own benefit, to account.

We are grateful to our international counterparts for their essential cooperation in the recovery of the proceeds and to our partners in ICAR and StAR for their support.”

Training and case assistance

The Basel Institute has been working with the Zambian authorities since 2021, through specialist ICAR advisors embedded with partner agencies.

The advisors provide technical assistance on complex financial crime cases, including through training and case-based support. The programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which is also a core donor to ICAR.

Commenting on the success, ICAR Director Iker Lekuona said:

"Our training is carefully tailored to the laws and procedures of the countries in which it is delivered and focuses on a follow-the-money approach. This is complemented by our case support team who work hand in glove with investigators and prosecutors to achieve results like these.

I am delighted to see the fruits of these efforts, which we hope will deter further corruption and increase citizen trust in government.”

GFAR Action Series in action

Zambia has also benefited from being a focus country of the Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) Action Series for the last two years. This is a platform for asset recovery practitioners to make progress on priority cases through direct engagement and meetings. ICAR partners closely with the Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative and International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC) in the initiative.

Emile van der Does, Coordinator of the StAR Initiative, said:

“This confiscation through the GFAR Action Series shows the power of cross-border cooperation. Congratulations to Zambia, South Africa and ICAR for their leadership in returning assets and reinforcing accountability. The StAR Initiative is delighted that the GFAR Action Series platform could help facilitate this outcome.”

South Africa: rapid asset seizures

Adv. Ouma Rabaji-Rasethaba, Head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit of South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority, said:

“I think this is going to strengthen anti-corruption in Southern Africa. We need to have both convictions but also the recovery of illicitly acquired assets. Our cooperation demonstrates that South Africa is no haven for the proceeds of crime and that the Asset Forfeiture Unit will use all powers at its disposal to recover those proceeds, no matter how senior the culprits might be.

This is evidence of the rule of law in action and we are committed to working hand in hand with our international partners in this endeavour.”

Learn more

• Article in the Lusaka Times: Malanji Convicted in Helicopter and Property Corruption Case
• About the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR)
• About the Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative of the World Bank and UNODC and the Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) Action Series.