Pertinent legal issues and impediments fettering the successful prosecution of the crime of money laundering and its predicate offences in Zambia: proposed reforms

Abstract

The law relating to money laundering is not a new branch of law although it seems to be just emerging in this modern era of advanced technology and organised crime. It evolved in the 18th century with the case of Rex v William Kidd et al1 from the so-called golden age of piracy. With the increase in the sophistication of the world economy, the techniques of money laundering have become correspondingly complex, leading to incoherent and uneven prosecutorial policies with regard to crimes related to money laundering. This is specially so in developing African countries like Zambia, where the legal system is still evolving on this terrain. Inevitably, a lot of pertinent legal issues and impediments remain unresolved, particularly when prosecuting highcalibred white collar perpetrators such as former heads of state.