Kabwe Mayor Patrick Chishala has dismissed social media allegations linking him to a suspected salary fraud scheme involving double payments at the Kabwe Municipal Council, which is currently under investigation by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).

Addressing journalists at a press briefing held at his Civic Centre office in Kabwe, Central Province, Mr. Chishala strongly refuted claims that he had any connection to the alleged payroll manipulation, describing the reports as “false, baseless, and politically motivated.”

“I do not know this Felix Sichali personally, and I have never instructed anyone to process double salaries on my behalf,” he said.

His remarks follow the arrest of Felix Sichali, a group accountant at the Kabwe Municipal Council, who is accused of using the Payflex payroll system to process double salaries for senior management officials and the mayor without proper authorization.

Reliable sources within the council revealed that no bank reconciliations have been conducted since September 2024 a lapse that may have enabled Sichali to execute unauthorized transactions undetected.

Meanwhile, a joint team of law enforcement officers has reportedly recovered four brand-new vehicles believed to have been purchased by Sichali and his girlfriend, who works at Indo Bank in Kabwe. The two were detained on Wednesday night.

During questioning, Sichali allegedly claimed he was acting on instructions from senior council officials to process double salaries and channel funds through “Bogus” companies purportedly contracted to supply goods and services to the council allegations that point to deeper institutional corruption.

Mayor Chishala maintained that all financial transactions at the council are conducted transparently and in line with laid-down financial regulations. He urged the public to remain calm and allow law enforcement agencies to conclude their investigations.

“The council operates under clear financial procedures and controls. I have nothing to hide, and I welcome the ongoing investigations to bring out the truth,” he stated.

As of press time, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) had not yet issued an official statement on the matter.