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Businesswoman nabbed for attempting to defraud FRA of maize valued at over K3 million

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THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit has arrested a businesswoman for attempting to defraud the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) of 751 metric tonnes of maize valued at K3, 004,000.

Bertha Njamba aged 39 for has been charged for Attempting to Obtain Goods by False Pretences contrary to section 390 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

DEC public relations officer Hussein Khan said Ms Njamba in her capacity as a director and Shareholder in Imaber General Trading Limited jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown on dates unknown but between 1st March and 31st December, 2022 fraudulently attempted to obtain 751 metric tonnes of maize valued at K3, 004, 000 from the FRA Mbala Depot by stating that the FRA had issued the maize to several clients without the authority of Imaber General Trading.

He said investigations however revealed that Imaber General Trading received money from the said clients for the purchase of the maize and had authorised the release of the maize by the FRA.

Mr Khan said the Commission has also charged Bertha Njamba for Obtaining Money by False Pretences.

“Facts of the matter are that Bertha Njamba jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown on dates unknown but between 1st March and 31st December, 2022 obtained K499, 840 from several individuals by purporting that she would supply them with maize from the Food Reserve Agency when in fact not. She further engaged in money laundering involving the K499, 840 proceeds of crime. The Commission has since frozen the Imaber General Trading bank account with a balance of K70, 000,” he said.

Mr Khan said Ms Njamba is on bond and will appear in court soon.

He said the Commission is perturbed with the high incidents of fraud especially in the commodity sector.

“As an Investigative agency of the state, the DEC is concerned that unscrupulous business persons could try to defraud government institutions like the FRA of such a colossal amount of maize. If done on a large scale and successful, such fraudulent schemes may affect the country’s food security.

However, the public needs to know that the Commission has developed a strong working relationship with the FRA over the years in order to safe guard the nation’s food reserves by identifying and bringing perpetrators to book,” Mr Khan said.

Meanwhile, the Commission in Mongu has jointly arrested and charged two individuals for Trafficking in Psychotropic Substances (namely 285.3 kilogrammes of loose cannabis) contrary to section 15 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act No. 35 of 2021 of the Laws of Zambia.

The suspects Lubeso Lubeso aged 39 and Mubuyayeta Mubuyayeta aged 32 were apprehended in Mongu as they were enroute to Limulunga.

(Mwebantu, Saturday, 5th August, 2023)

Lifestyle

Mutale Mwanza dragged to court over alleged assault

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MEDIA personality and talk show host Mutale Mwanza has been sued for allegedly yelling at a motorist while holding a gun, an incident which allegedly left the female victim, who is a doctor at the University Teaching Hospitals (UTH), traumatized.

The complainant, Natasha Mulenga, has complained that the incident left her extremely traumatized and she now wants the Lusaka High Court to order the outspoken entrepreneur to pay her damages for assault.

Court records show that the incident happened on November 5, 2023, when the two were stuck in traffic before the defendant, Ms Mwanza, emerged from her car with a gun.

The statement of claim filed at the Lusaka High Court shows that Dr Mulenga was on the material day driving home when she found a broken-down car in Chainda area and that during the time, traffic was building behind the stationery automobile.

The plaintiff submits that she then decided to keep to her lane and pass the scene in order for the built-up traffic to flow.

But before her vehicle passed the broken-down car, Ms Mwanza had started flashing vehicle lights at the doctor’s car and decided the defendant then decided to bypass the broken-down vehicle, joining Ms Mulenga’s lane.

The plaintiff submits that when Ms Mwanza blocked her car, the defendant(Ms Mwanza) then proceeded to disembark from her vehicle while carrying a firearm in her right hand.

Ms Mwanza then approached Dr Mulenga’s vehicle while shouting at her and banging on her vehicle.

“Arising from that, the plaintiff suffered extreme trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety, physiological distress, sleep disorder, experienced recurring nightmares about the event and gastrointestinal upset,” she submits in part.

The doctor adds that as a result of the injury suffered, she had to be placed on a mandatory 10 day medical leave due to diminished concentration and had to see a psychotherapist at the Adult and Emergency Hospital at UTH.

She now seeks damages for assault, among other reliefs

(Mwebantu, Thursday, 7th December, 2023)

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Lifestyle

PF camps battle their leadership arguments in court, as Judge reserves ruling

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THE Miles Sampa led Patriotic Front(PF) group has urged the Lusaka High Court to dismiss the application in which the Rapheal Nakacinda camp has filed.

During hearing yesterday, Mr Sampa’s lawyers submitted that the case against him be dimissed because there is already another lawsuit pending before Judge Timothy Katanekwa which is related to the same party leadership case.

The lawyers submitted before Judge Situmbeko Chocho that in the other proceedings, Judge Timothy Katanekwa has not yet determine whether Raphael Nakacinda and Given Lubinda were legally appointed.

The duo were appointed and they later suspended Mr Sampa from the party over alleged gross misconduct.

In this matter, Mr Nakacinda and others, among them Mporokoso lawmaker Brian Mundubile want Judge Chocho to restore an injunction she had earlier granted in their favour.

The injunction prevented Mr Sampa from carrying himself as PF president until determination of a lawsuit against him.

But the Judge later discharged the same injunction which the Nakacinda team now want restored.

The Judge has reserved rulings on the matter to a later date to be announced.

(Mwebantu, Tuesday, 5th December, 2023)

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Local Courts

Mine accident claims lives as victims feared drowned in buried tunnels

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FOLLOWING a mine accident in Chingola district on the Copperbelt, reports suggest the victims that were buried alive are feared to have drowned.

The victims are suspected to have drowned in the tunnels where they were digging copper ore after heavy rains and landslides buried the tunnels.

Police received a report of drowning from Abedenigo Keshinako who has since identified seven of his colleagues that were victims of mine accident at Kasenseli of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM)open pit.

A combined rescue team of police, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) staff and fire brigade have however, not yet retrieved any of the bodies.

Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said the incident occurred on November 30th between 21:00 hours and 22:00 hours.

“Mr Keshinako reported that those that are suspected to have drowned are Christopher Chungu ,Silvester other names not known ,John other name not known ,a person only known as Bashi Prisca , Joe other names not known,Gold other names not known and another one only known as Bashi Emma,” he said.

He noted that those identified together with others drowned in the tunnels where they were digging copper ore after heavy rains.

“The Police, KCM rescue team and fire brigade visited the scene and it was discovered that there were two sites within the pit where the victims were buried. The bodies are not yet retrieved as efforts are being made to retrieve them,” he said.

(Mwebantu, Saturday, 2nd December, 2023)

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