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A DEFENCE witness yesterday told a Lusaka magistrate’s court that the motor vehicle alleged to have been registered in the name of Chisamba Member of Parliament (MP) Moses Muteteka was bought using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
This is in a matter in which Muteteka, the former Local Government and Housing deputy minister in the MMD administration, is charged with one count of theft of a motor vehicle.
It is alleged that Muteteka on May 24, 2010 in Lusaka stole a Mitsubishi Fuso light truck, registration number ABX 3529, valued at K75, 000.
The truck which he allegedly registered in his name belonged to Chibombo District Council.
Testifying before Lusaka Principal Magistrate Aridah Chuulu, Eliot Kumalo said although the people in Chisamba were not deprived of any transport, the vehicle in question was still registered in Muteteka’s name.
He said before the vehicle was bought under CDF through Chibombo District Council, the community was using the old light truck belonging to Muteteka, a situation which prompted them to purchase one for the community.
“This vehicle was paid for by Chibombo District Council but it is not registered in the name of the council.
“Usually a vehicle is supposed to be registered in the name of the one who bought it, but in this case there was a process of having the two vehicles swapped,” Mr Kumalo said.
Another witness John Kazaba said the community in Chibombo was not deprived because the vehicle was at their disposal and that the accused never used it for his personal gain.
When asked why the vehicle was not registered in Chibombo District Council’s name, the witness said he was not obliged to answer that question because he was not part of the actual buying.
“I am a councillor where I come from, so when I say the community petitioned the council to buy a vehicle for them, I mean myself as well because I am part of that programme.
“As to why the truck is in the name of the accused, I don’t know but all I can say is that there is a process in progress to have the vehicles exchanged,” he said.
The matter has been adjourned to October 10 this year for continued defence.
