Chiluba's wife faces theft charges

HUMPHREY NKONDE
Correspondent | Thursday March 15, 2007 00:00

Moola Nayoto, the first prosecution witness and a former senior superintendent of police, told magistrate Chilombo Phiri that his investigations at the bank using a magistrate's search warrant revealed the transfer of the huge sum of money in three instalments. He conducted the investigations when he was attached to the Task Force on Corruption where he was assigned to trace the bank accounts of Mwanza. He said that he obtained another search warrant to go to Standard Chartered Bank in Ndola, where he looked at deposit slips made in the name of Regina Chifunda Mwanza. He testified that on September 10, 2002 he applied for another search warrant to carry out investigations at Mwanza's House No 54 Lewanika Road, Kansenshi, Ndola but he only found her relatives.

He told the court that during the search, he stumbled on 21 documents and that some lawyers representing her were present. The documents included clearing papers, Zambia Revenue Authority customs/assessment papers. He also found papers for a Toshiba television set that belonged to State House.

At this point, Mwanza's lawyer Robert Simenza, objected to the introduction of the documents for identification, arguing that the witness did not author them, was not the addressee and that they were not in his custody as he left the police to his current employment at Bank of Zambia.

The prosecutor Christopher Mundia clarified that the prosecution's strategy was to show to the court that some documents were found and that some other witnesses would testify as to their authenticity.

Nayoto then said he did not find the Toshiba television set at Mwanza's residence but with a certain Kabobo in Kansenshi Infill. The witness told the court that Kabobo told him the television was handed to him for repair by Mwanza.

Another search warrant was issued against Mwanza's relative, Charles Kafunda from whom a Mitsubishi Canter and a red BMW were seized and handed to Nayoto at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices.

A Toyota Land-Cruiser and a Toyota RAV 4 was recovered from Catherine Kafunda and her husband Pastor Ngosa signed the search warrant. These vehicles and an Isuzu van registration books were in the name of Regina Mwanza and the Toyota could have been jointly owned with her former husband, Edward Mwanza.

When Nayoto quit the police service, he deposited the registration books with Police Commissioner Musole Biemba. Nayoto testified that he went to Parklands in Kitwe where he inspected shops at plots number KIT 643 AND KIT 645, a farm in Fatima in Ndola whose number he could not state, saying the search and the investigation were extended to then registrar of Lands, Frighton Sichone.

The case was adjourned to yesterday for the court to inspect the properties mentioned by the prosecution witness. (Sila Press Agency)