Former ZRA boss allocated a ZRA Hilux to his farm – arresting officer
AN arresting officer has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Court that former Zambia Revenue Authority commissioner general, Kingsley Chanda assigned a Toyota Hilux to his Vegeland Farms.
Superintendent Donald Mulimba who is based at Police Force Headquarters said about seven vehicles belonging to the Revenue Authority branded ECL 2021, were also recovered from Patriotic Front cadres.
Testifying before principal resident magistrate Sylvia Munyinya, the witness said the police received a report that vehicles belonging to the Zambia Revenue Authority were not in disposed off in accordance with the ZRA asset disposal policy.
He said between 2017 and 2020, the assets disposal committee decided to do an internal tender to dispose off the vehicles.
“The motor vehicles were only supposed to be sold to the staff at Zambia Revenue Authority and; also that those vehicles were going to be offered after bidding to the highest bidders and the payments for the motor vehicles was supposed to be through the ZRA bank accounts, and that the payments were supposed to be paid within five working days,” Mulimba said.
“The motor vehicles were supposed to be collected at the ZRA yard by the highest bidders after being given a gate pass. It was supposed to be one gate pass for one motor vehicle.”
The officer said that he learnt that there were seven motor vehicles that were recovered from cadres and the former ZRA boss.
“I learnt that two are Mitsubishi Pajero motor vehicles, branded in PF party stickers, which were recovered by police officers from Lusaka Central Division, headquarters from a Mr Edwin Mulenga Pole, a PF cadre of Makeni area in Lusaka,” Mulimba said.
“The other two are Mitsubishi Pajero motor vehicles, they were recovered by our officers in Chipata from a Mr Andrew Musha, the then provincial Patriotic Front chairperson. Then one Toyota Hilux, ALC 9123 was recovered from a company by then called Starshell Zambia Limited. This was during a search at that company by a joint investigations team.”
He told the Court that a white Toyota Hilux, registration number ABM 9166 was seized from a Mr Joseph Monde, a manager at Vegeland Farms Limited and the other was a Toyota Hilux registration number ALF 4655, which was seized from a charity organization, the Heart of Mercy, based in Lusaka.
“It was seized from a director of Heart of Mercy who I recall only as Madam Phiri and the seizure was done by the Drug Enforcement Commission,”Mulimba said.
“Concerning the Toyota Hilux with registration number ABM 9166, it was registered in the names Vegeland Farms Limited. I extended my investigations to Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) with a view to know the directors of that farm.”
He said a printout regarding ownership of the farm indicated that there were three registered directors who managed it among them a Mr Nkoma with no shares, Mr Kingsley Chanda with 11,000 shares and a miss Kaonga with 9,000 shares.
“We were investigating 22 vehicles and I learnt that most of the vehicles were taken away by non- ZRA employees. I noticed six vehicles had moved out with one gate pass. They were going with a man called Alien Simpokolwe,” Mulimba said.
“I also established that the people who purchased the vehicles did not own vehicles even after paying for them. The motor vehicles found themselves in the hands of non ZRA staff. I also learnt that other vehicles about six on them, one of them is the ALC 9123 were disposed off without the approval of the ZRA Board.”
Mulimba said he summoned Chanda and Calistas Kaoma for questioning but they opted not to show up and they only brought themselves to the polce upon hearing that the officers were going to search their homes.
“Under warn and caution statement, each one of them gave a free and voluntary answer denying all the charges. I then jointly charged and arrested them with two counts of wilful failure to comply with laid out procedure and abuse of authority of office thereafter, they were released on police bond, awaiting court appearance.”
Chanda and Kaoma are charged with 22 counts of willful failure to comply with the law in the manner they disposed of 22 vehicles belonging to the Revenue Authority.
Trial continues on October 10, 2024.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba September 26, 2024.
Someone tell me that they see no wrong in the fact that Public institution assets were being abused by a ruling Political party? That a person heading a Public institution used assets under his charge for his own personal agenda and motive. If this isnt abuse of office. At face value. Then I dont know what a “Prima Facae” case would look like against Kingsley Chanda.