By OLIVER SAMBOKO
VICTIMS who saved money with ONO and Comsave Ponzi schemes have demanded that BOZ and DEC should cancel the plea agreement signed with the two institutions and proceed to prosecute its directors.
Following the seizure of bank accounts by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) for violating the Banking and Financial Services Act, Comsave Credit Union and Ono Savings and Credit Association, (OSCA), signed a plea agreement with the National Prosecutions Authority.
The two institutions agreed to refund its saving membership at revised rates of 10-percent within 12 months, but to date many people have not been paid their money.
The victims said its folly for directors at ONO Savings and Comsave Credit Union to continue roaming the streets freely after swindling people out of their hard earned money.
The victims have also vowed to start street protests to force government to act on the owners of ONO and comsave, who they accuse of taking their patience for granted.
Peter Simweemba, who spoke on behalf of others, said it’s clear that the two institutions are not willing to honor the terms under the agreement with the National Prosecution Authority (NPA).
He said the deliberate failure by the directors of ONO and Comsave not to pay back the money they collected from members has resulted in many people who contributed their life savings in the scheme, to fall into destitution.
Another victim, Mable Phiri said she and her husband have failed to recover their money despite several efforts to do so.
“We were told to present bank receipts, which we did a long time ago, so that we could be paid our money, but up to now despite several follow ups, no ngwee has been paid to us,” she explained.
She appealed to government to act on the two companies before the affected people take the law in their own hands and pounce on the directors who have caused so much misery to innocent members.