JOIN DRIVERN TAXI AS PARTNER DRIVER TODAY!
FORMER Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, has been questioned over eight counts of offences he is alleged to have committed last year.
Police in Lusaka recorded a warn-and-caution statement from Mr Mwamba for allegedly directing and influencing the awarding of a contract to a company in which he was a director and partner.
He was questioned over eight counts of offences he was alleged to have committed between April 1 and November 30, 2012.
It is alleged that while acting as Republican President as per Government Gazette notice number 238 of April 25, 2012, Mr Mwamba committed the offence of Disobedience of Statutory Duty contrary to section 126 Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
He is also alleged to have abused his authority of office contrary to section 21 (1) (a) and (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 by directing and influencing the awarding of a contract for supply and delivery of nine, 10 and 12-metre wooden poles to Zesco Limited on a one-year running contract to Arizona Marketing and Distributors in which he was a director and partner.
In another count, Mr Mwamba, as director and partner of Arizona, is alleged to have committed three counts of uttering a false document contrary to section 352 of Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia involving manufacturers’ authorisation, company profile and pole specifications to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority and Zesco which he purported were issued by Board Timbers Limited of Zimbabwe when in fact not.
The Kasama Member of Parliament (MP), acting in his capacity as the then director and partner of Arizona, was also warned and cautioned for two counts of making a false document contrary to section 344 Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia namely, a company profile for Board Timbers and poles specifications purporting that they were issued from the Zimbabwean firm when in fact not.
In the last count, Mr Mwamba is alleged to have forged two manufacturers’ authorisation documents contrary to section 342 Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia purporting that they were issued by Board Timbers Limited when in fact not.
Zambia Police Service spokesperson Charity Munganga-Chanda said investigations into the matter were on-going while Mr Mwamba was allowed to leave Woodlands Police Station immediately after the questioning which lasted about half an hour.
Mr Mwamba arrived at the police station at 14:25 hours in the company of his wife Chama, his daughter Thandiwe, and other sympathisers.
The Kasama MP, who looked calm, entered the interview room with his lawyers Jonas Zimba, Makebi Zulu and Martha Mushipe while members of his entourage were asked to wait outside as the interview took place.
Also present at the police station were MMD acting national secretary Kapembwa Simbao, MMD Kasempa MP Kabinga Pande, National Revolution Party president Cosmo Mumba, Alliance for a Better Zambia leader Frank Bwalya, and political activist Dante Saunders.
Police cordoned off the police station to keep Mr Mwamba’s placard and red card-brandishing supporters at bay.
In an interview after the questioning, Mr Mwamba vowed not to resign from the Patriotic Front (PF).
He defended the presence of opposition politicians at Woodlands Police Station saying belonging to different parties did not make them ‘enemies’.
“How can I resign from a political party I helped form Government? I am a bonafide PF member and I will remain as such until the people who elected me feel they don’t want me in the party. I am not shaken by whatever is happening to me,” he said.
Times of Zambia
