CORRUPTION ACCUSED HEALTH MINISTER CHITALU CHILUFYA WORTH OVER K22 MILLION, ACC TELLS COURT
By Watch Reporter
Trial in the matter in which Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya is charged with four counts of possession of properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime has finally commenced in the Lusaka Magistrates Court.
Testifying in the matter, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation officer Chipili Chipampe Manda, 34 years old told Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale that Dr. Chilufya’s earnings were in excess of K22 million.
Manda said Dr Chilufya had in excess of K22 million as earnings from November 2013 to February 2020.
He said this was according to information obtained from National Assembly, Payroll Management and Establishment Control (PMEC) and Henry Courtyard Limited.
Manda said a team was instituted to investigate Dr Chilufya after a report bordering on allegations that he possessed properties in Zambia and Dubai which were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime was lodged by an unanimous source.
He said after he established that Dr Chilufya possessed US$200,000 which was used to purchase 6,000 shares in Samfya Marines and Tourism Services Limited from Den Daas Investment Zambia, K270,000 cash which was used to purchase another 2,000 shares in Samfya Marines, Lot No. 365/366 also known as Spark Guest House situated in Mansa and a passenger boat also known as Transport 32 from Smart Own FZE of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, he endeavored to establish whether the accused had the financial capacity from his known legitimate income to acquire the stated properties in question and that he established that he was a Health Minister and also a Member of Parliament for Mansa Central.
Manda said the investigators requested for Dr Chilufya’s emoluments from National Assembly and PMEC and that ACC did receive documents detailing the payments which Dr Chilufya had received from November 2013 to February 2010 from National Assembly and PMEC.
Manda said further, investigations revealed that Dr Chilufya had stake in various companies and was director and shareholder in Henry Courtyard Limited.
He named Dr Chilufya’s other companies as Henry Courtyard Construction and Hardware, Henry Courtyard Farms and Henry Courtyard Travels and Tours.
Manda explained that Dr, Chilufya was also a shareholder in Samfya Marines.
“Having looked at the earnings of Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya from the information we obtained from the National Assembly, his earnings totalled over K7 million and for earnings related to documents collected from PMEC, earnings were slightly over K3 million. Further, I assessed financial information, in this case, bank statements from Henry Courtyard Limited where Honourable Dr Chitalu Chilufya is a shareholder and director, different bank statements were obtained and these banks are Zanaco, Cavmont Bank, Atlas Mara and Investrust Bank, which Henry Courtyard has accounts with,” he said.
Manda said Dr Chilufya’s Henry Courtyard was in excess of K12 million.
Hearing continues tomorrow.