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The embattled businessman Rajan Mahtani appears to be betting on multiple political candidates to unseat the government in the next election, with the latest financial donation allegedly going towards the United Party for National Development (UPND).
According to a well placed source within Mahtani’s organisation, this past weekend a payment of US$100,000 was made by the controversial banker to Dipak Patel, the campaign manager for Hakainde Hichilema.
Mahtani, an accused criminal and former chairman of Finance Bank who is facing prosecution on several fraud charges, is reportedly hoping to fund a new candidate who would be able to help him escape accountability for a number of issues before the courts, the source claims. In addition to this recent funding of UPND, he is also known to have provided support to Wynter Kabimba and Rainbow Party, the political project of Post Newspaper editor Fred M’membe.
The source says that Mahtani selected Mr. Patel to be the conduit for his pay off because of their long personal history as Zambians of Indian origin, and that Mahtani allegedly also promised to deliver 5 Toyota Hilux vehicles to the party for use in their campaigns.
According to separate sources in UPND, Mr. Patel allegedly only delivered $40,000 of Mahtani’s donation to the party, while pocketing the remaining $60,000 for his own personal use.
Dipak Patel has his own controversial history of collaboration with Hakainde Hichilema. In 1997, he served as Deputy Minister of Commerce, Trade, and Industry, and was involved in the decision to award the privatisation of the Intercontinental Hotel Livingstone and the Rainbow Lodge to Mr. Hichilema’s company, even though they offered the lowest bid and were also involved as auditors on the deal.
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