Lusaka | March 13, 2026 – For years, a quiet crisis has haunted Zambia’s justice system.
Financial criminals, money launderers, fraudsters, those who loot public coffers, have stayed one step ahead, exploiting complex systems while prosecutors struggle to keep pace. The problem was never a lack of will. It was a lack of specialised weapons.
This morning, that changed.
In a momentous signing ceremony, the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI), and the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR) formalised a partnership to arm Zambia’s justice sector with the one thing criminals fear most – superior skill.
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a structured professional development programme focused on Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery (FIAR), training that will equip investigators to trace stolen money, freeze illicit assets, and ensure crime does not pay.
But this will be no ordinary training programme.
Mr. Norville Connolly, IRLI Country Director, revealed the partnership was nearly one year six months in the making, a journey marked by false starts and dead ends. The Irish Embassy backed the idea, with the understanding that 20 percent of international best practice would be channeled through renowned institutions like Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau.
Initial attempts to partner with an Irish university fell through. Later engagements with the University of Zambia also failed. For a time, the entire project hung in the balance.
It was only when SAIPAR stepped forward with a bold proposition, to transform itself into a high-level training institute, that the pieces finally fell into place.
Mr. Connolly specifically thanked Ms. Margaret Kapambwe-Chitundu, Head of the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Department, who “walked the entire process with them” from conception to signing.
Ms. Kapambwe-Chitundu, who moderated the event, emphasised that the programme will be delivered by Zambian trainers using local expertise, and will extend beyond the NPA to all 23 member institutions of the Inter-Agency Framework on Collaboration and Coordination.
“Criminals are always innovating,” she reminded the room. “We need to get ahead of them.”
Speaking at the signing, the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC, who signed on behalf of both the NPA and the 23-member Inter-Agency Framework (which he chairs), revealed that Zambia is not starting from scratch.
“The NPA already has a foundational FIAR curriculum developed with earlier technical assistance,” he said. “This provides an important baseline upon which a sustainable training programme can be built.”
Even more critically, five trainers from the NPA and allied institutions have already been certified by the prestigious Basel Institute of Governance, a pool of local expertise ready to be mobilised immediately.
In a sharp departure from the culture of attendance certificates, this programme will demand genuine mastery. Candidates must pass demanding examinations with an ambitious 70 percent mark. No attendance tokens. Only those who truly master the material will qualify.
It is a standard that signals seriousness of purpose.
The Inter-Agency Framework comprises 23 distinct institutions, investigative bodies, prosecutors, and regulators including the Zambia Revenue Authority, PACRA, the Ministry of Lands, and RTSA. Under this initiative, officers from across this spectrum will train together, learn together, and fight crime together.
“The complexity of modern financial crime cannot be solved in silos,” the DPP emphasised. “When our institutions train together, the entire Framework grows stronger—and the Nation becomes more secure.”
The DPP painted an ambitious picture of what lies beyond the initial pilot, including specialised courses in cryptocurrency investigations, non-conviction based forfeiture, and cross-border mutual legal assistance, areas increasingly critical for tracing and recovering proceeds of crime beyond Zambia’s borders.
Professor Manenga Ndulo, SAIPAR Executive Director, thanked IRLI, the Irish Embassy, and the NPA for entrusting his institution with hosting what he described as a “capacity building facility.” SAIPAR, an independent research centre dedicated to improving governance and policy making, will serve as the academic home for the programme, a mission perfectly aligned with hosting world-class financial crime training.
As the documents were signed, one message resonated: this is not a one-off intervention but a long-term investment in Zambia’s capacity to fight financial crime.
“We are not just building skills,” the DPP concluded. “We are building a sustainable shield against economic sabotage.”
The Memorandum of Understanding was formally signed by:
• Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri, SC – the Learned Director of Public Prosecutions (on behalf of the NPA and as Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Framework);
• Mr. Norville Connolly – Country Director, Irish Rule of Law International;
• Professor Manenga Ndulo – Executive Director, Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR)

NPAZambia | #IrishRuleOfLaw | #SAIPAR | #FinancialCrimeFighting | #AssetRecovery | #InterAgencyFramework | #SustainableShield