Case File

Zambia’s Israeli Gulfstream Scandal

Author
Taylor Miller ; Editors: Jack Cinamon and Ruth Rohde
Published on
December 9, 2025
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets then Zambian President Edgar Lungu in Tel Aviv in 2017. Photo: Israeli Government Press Office
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets then Zambian President Edgar Lungu in Tel Aviv in 2017. Photo: Israeli Government Press Office

Contents

Contents

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Introduction

Introduction

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Israel’s recent diplomatic push into Africa has been shadowed by scandal, none more striking than the controversy that erupted in mineral rich and debt-burdened Zambia over a costly military procurement deal. What began as a plan to modernise the armed forces under former president Edgar Lungu quickly spiraled into more than hundreds of millions of dollars in spending including the purchase of a luxury Gulfstream G650, and on additional equipment from Elbit Systems.

The Lusaka Times reported that the jet was fitted with the costly Elbit J-Music anti-missile system, inflating its price to USD 194.9 million, financed partly through Israel Discount Bank. For a nation facing collapsing public services, the aircraft quickly became a symbol of excess. Beyond the aircraft itself, Air Force upgrades pushed spending over USD 400 million, and later contracts with Elbit added another USD 123.9 million, including an additional USD 50 million package. Altogether, Zambia’s defence spending exceeded USD 573.9 million, not counting ongoing maintenance costs.

By 2022, Zambia sought to sell the jet after spending over USD 6.3 million on maintenance alone. Defence Minister Ambrose Lufuma later revealed it was purchased at least USD 60 million above market value through “dubious” procurement processes - turning a modernisation effort into one of the country’s most notorious corruption scandals.

Case Details

Case details

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Seller country
Israel
Seller company
Elbit Systems, Gulfstream Aerospace
Buyer country
Zambia
Goods category
Aircraft, Air Defence / Missile Defence, Upgrades, Surveillance Equipment
Equipment sold
Gulfstream G650 jet; Elbit J-Music anti-missile defence system, as well as further Air Force upgrades and Elbit weaponry
Deal value
At least USD 573.9 millions
Sum involved in corruption
USD 52.5 million (50 million for goods and services not supplied in full, at least 2.5 million alleged illicit proceeds)
Start year
2017
Outcome status
Legal Investigation Ongoing

Actors

Actors

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  • Elbit Systems - Israeli arms company; specialising in technology based systems; headquartered in Haifa, Israel.

  • Israel Discount Bank - Israeli bank; provided Zambia with the loan for the deal; headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

  • Savenda Systems Limited - A subsidiary of the Savenda Group, a Zambian-based pan-African conglomerate; Zambia’s agent for Elbit in the deal; headquartered in Lusaka, Zambia.

  • Stardy Mwale - Former Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence and Chairperson of the Procurement Committee; arrested for corrupt practices, including facilitating a fraudulent payment of USD 50 million to Elbit Systems.

  • Michael Obister Mbewe - Retired Brigadier General and former Zambian Defence Secretary; charged in the corruption trial.

  • Frank Hardy Sinyangwe - Retired Brigadier General and former Director General Medical Services at the Zambian Ministry of Defence; charged in the corruption trial.

  • Esabel Willima Chinji - Former Finance Director for the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment and former Chief Accountant for the Ministry of Defence; charged in the corruption trial.

  • John Phiri - Former Human Resources and Administration Director for the Ministry of Defence and member of the Procurement Committee; charged in the corruption trial.

  • Evaristo Makala - former Army Secretary and member of the Procurement Committee; arrested for violations in the procurement process.

  • Charles Lungu - Former Procurement Director for the Zambian Ministry of Defence; witness in the court process against Mbewe and others.

Timeline

Timeline

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2012
  • Zambia embarked on a programme to replace its aging fleet of transport and fighter aircraft and other associated air defence equipment.
2015
  • A procurement process for the Gulfstream G650 jet began in 2015 through a single-source process. This was before the appointment of Stardy Mwale.
2017
  • 28 FebPresident Lungu visits Israel on a five-day trip in which he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They discussed economic diplomacy, defence deals and Zambia’s potential support for Israel to regain its observer status at the African Union, a position it lost in 2002.
  • The Zambia Anti-Corruption Commission alleges that Stardy Mwale awarded and signed a USD 400 million in 2017 for the modernization of the Zambian Defence Forces, which purportedly favoured Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems and without approval from the Procurement Committee.
  • Zambia Anti-Corruption Commission investigations establish Mwale, acting with others, fraudulently facilitated a payment of USD 50,000,000 to Elbit Systems Limited for goods and services not supplied in full between 2017 and 2019.
2019
  • 28 FebZambia took delivery of the new Gulfstream G650 VIP jet, which arrived from Israel in the capital Lusaka.
  • According to the commission, in 2019, Mwale signed a contract between Elbit Systems Limited and the Ministry of Defence to Savenda Systems Limited at a contract price of USD 123,965,000.
  • Mwale procured a farm worth USD 2.5 million, which was later seized and forfeited having been bought with alleged illicit proceeds. The funds for purchasing the said farm are alleged to have been acquired as payment for the awarding of the financing contract to a named company for the supply of goods at the cost of USD 47 million to the Ministry of Defence.
2021
  • 13 JunOn Zambia’s Defense Force Day parade, displays of Israeli-made weaponry were showcased, including Elbit ATMOS M46 wheeled self-propelled howitzers, Elbit Spear MK2 self-propelled mortars, Elbit Hermes 450s, Elbit Skylark UAVs, as well as Israeli-made firearms.
2022
  • The current defence Minister of Zambia, Lufuma, provided further details. Zambia spent USD 20 million more than necessary for the plane, and USD 45 million too much for the J-Music defense system, USD 50 million for a system whose market value was only USD 5 million at the time. The plane was paid for out of a USD 400 million loan Zambia took out from Israel Discount Bank for the deal to modernize its armed forces.
  • Zambia sought to sell the presidential Gulfstream, citing colossal maintenance and servicing costs; maintenance and service of the aircraft cost the Treasury more than USD 6.3 million since its acquisition, despite limited use for presidential travel. Defense Minister Ambrose Lufuma alleged that “the procurement of the aircraft was completed by the Edgar Lungu-led regime at a cost of USD 60 million above market value while following "dubious" procurement processes”.

Outcomes

Investigation Outcomes

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2022
  • 15 DecAnti-Corruption Commission Zambia arrested former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Stardy Mwale for corruption involving more than USD 573.9 million in relation to procurement of the Gulfstream G650. Elbit claims no blame was placed on the company. Mwale is charged with three counts of Wilful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) and one count of Fraudulent Facilitation of Payment from the Public Revenue Contrary to Section 34 (2) (a)(i) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 Of 2012.
  • The Commission also arrested and jointly charged members of the Ministerial Procurement Committee for the Ministry of Defence with Stardy Mwale for Wilful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, in the manner they approved the award of the tender number MOD/MPC/024-17 for the procurement of the Modernisation of the Defence forces Program to Elbit Systems Limited at a contract price of USD 400,000,000.
2023
  • 10 JanElbit denies involvement. In response to the Zambian government and the ACC’s request for information, Elbit claimed that it “does not correspond to reality, to say the least” and that it “will not lend its hand to corruption and bribery, not even indirectly”.
  • 20 MarEvaristo Makala, former Army Secretary and member of the Procurement Committee was arrested for violations in the procurement process.
2024
  • 22 NovChief magistrate Davies Chibwili denied a request for site visits to Zambian Air Force facilities in Lusaka, Ndola Peter Zuze Air Force Base and Livingstone declaring that Charles Lungu, a former defence ministry procurement director, was not qualified to identify materials related to the jet at the facilities.
  • After testifying in court, Charles Lungu admitted to signing invoices for the jet's procurement despite lacking information about the contract. He added that he nearly got into a fight with Mwale, who verbally attacked him after he raised concerns about how the contract had been drafted.
2025
  • 27 FebLusaka Magistrates Court admits the Gulfstream presidential jet as evidence.
  • 17 JulThe State entered a nolle prosequi (prosecution dropped with the option to reopen it later). Immediately after their release, the accused were re-arrested, and later released on a police bond. Mwale was charged with the same charges he had been discharged from, according to his lawyer. Zambian media reported there was a possibility the state had new evidence.
  • 25 JulThe state entered another nolle prosequi with Mwale in an unrelated corruption case.
  • Those arrested and charged include: former Defence Secretary Rtd. Brigadier General Michael Obister Mbewe, Former Ministry of Defence Director General Medical Services Rtd. Brigadier General Frank Hardy Sinyangwe, and Director-Finance at Ministry of Green Economy and Environment Esabel Willima Chinji – who was then-Acting Chief Accountant at Ministry of Defence, as well as Evaristo Sakala and John Phiri. The Anti-Corruption Commission Zambia also arrested and charged Stardy Mwale with one count of Corrupt Acquisition of Public Property and Revenue contrary to Section 34 (1)(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012. As of December 2025, the status of the investigation and prosecution remains unclear after Mwale and others were re-arrested moments after the prosecution was initially dropped in July 2025.

References

References

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  • AirGuide. “Zambian Court Rejects Request in Major Corruption Case”, 5 December, 2024. https://airguide.info/zambian-court-rejects-request-in-major-corruption-case/

  • American Jewish Committee. “Is Zambia the Next Big Frontier in Israel-Africa Relations?”, 25 August, 2025. https://www.ajc.org/news/is-zambia-the-next-big-frontier-in-israel-africa-relations

  • Anti-Corruption Commission Zambia. “Court Forfeits to State Sturdy Mwale’s Simoonga Farm”, 15 November, 2024. https://acc.gov.zm/court-forfeits-to-state-sturdy-mwales-simoonga-farm/

  • Anti-Corruption Commission Zambia. “Media Release: Former Ministry of Defence PS Stardy Mwale Arrested for Corruption in Relation to the Purchase of the Gulfstream Presidential Jet”, 15 December, 2022. https://x.com/ACCZambia/status/1603331928400179201/photo/1

  • Chomba Musika. “The State has entered a nolle prosequi in a case former Ministry of Defence Permanent secretary Stardy Mwale and five others”, Zambia Daily Mail, 17 July, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/ZAMBIADAILYMAIL/videos/the-state-has-entered-a-nolle-prosequi-in-a-case-former-ministry-of-defence-perm/4017972091793798/

  • Defence Web. “Zambia gets new presidential jet”, 12 March, 2019. https://defenceweb.co.za/featured/zambia-gets-new-presidential-jet/

  • Erwan de Cherisey. "Zambian military parades new equipment", 23 June, 2021. https://defence.pk/threads/zambian-military-parades-new-equipment.714863/

  • Eyal Boguslavsky. “Advanced Israeli weapon systems sighted at Zambian Army parade”, Israel Defense, 28 June, 2021. https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/50609

  • Herb Keinon. “Zambian president joins parade of African leaders visiting Israel”, The Jerusalem Post, 28 February, 2017. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/zambian-president-joins-parade-of-african-leaders-visiting-israel-482834

  • Hilka Birns. “Zambian presidential jet admitted as court evidence”, Ch-aviation, 3 March, 2025. https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/150991-zambian-presidential-jet-admitted-as-court-evidence

  • James Kunda. “Zambia to sell $194.9M presidential plane purchased by previous government”, Anadolu Ajansi, 15 December, 2022. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/zambia-to-sell-1949m-presidential-plane-purchased-by-previous-government/2764875

  • Kalemba News. “Stardy Mwale gets released on bond”, 18 July, 2025. https://kalemba.news/column/stardy-mwale-gets-released-on-bond/

  • Lusaka Times. “No corruption in Gulfstream purchase, Elbit tells ACC”, 10 January, 2023. https://www.lusakatimes.com/2023/01/10/no-corruption-in-gulfstream-purchase-elbit-tells-acc/

  • Oded Yaron. “Zambian Officials Arrested on Suspicions of Corruption in Deals With Israeli Arms Contractor Elbit Systems”, Haaretz, 20 December, 2022. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2022-12-20/ty-article/.premium/zambian-officials-arrested-on-suspicions-of-corrupt-deals-with-israeli-arms-contractor/00000185-3070-d7b0-a5cf-3cf47f790000

  • Open Zambia. “Zambian arms deal set to cost country $1bn”. 24 November, 2018. https://www.openzambia.com/politics/2018/11/24/zambian-arms-deal-set-to-cost-country-1bn

  • Precious Daka. “ACC arrests Stardy shortly after DPP enters nolle in his Gulfstream corruption case”, News Diggers Media, 18 July, 2025. https://diggers.news/courts/2025/07/18/acc-arrests-stardy-shortly-after-dpp-enters-nolle-in-his-gulfstream-corruption-case/

  • Taonga Tembo. “Court admits Gulfstream Jet into evidence”, News Diggers Media, 28 February, 2025. https://diggers.news/courts/2025/02/28/court-admits-gulfstream-jet-into-evidence/

  • The Editor Zambia. “Director nearly fought with PS Stardy Mwale”, 11 November, 2024. https://theeditorzambia.com/2024/11/11/director-nearly-fought-with-ps-stardy-mwale/

  • Zambia Monitor. “State drops corruption case against former Defence Permanent Secretary, Mwale, businessman Mpoha”, 26 July, 2025. https://www.zambiamonitor.com/state-drops-corruption-case-against-former-defence-permanent-secretary-mwale-businessman-mpoha/