Ex-Kasama MP, Sampa sued over $38,000 debt
By Mwaka Ndawa
LUSAKA resident Kelvin Situmbeko has sued former Kasama central PF member of parliament Kelvin Sampa in the Lusaka High Court for failing to clear his debt in the tune of US $38,500.
Situmbeko is seeking an order for payment of the outstanding debt.
He also wants the court to award him damages and interest on the amount found due.
In his statement of claim, Situmbeko said sometime in December 2021 Sampa obtained a facility for purposes of conducting business.
He said at beginning of the month of December 2021 he obtained a loan from his funder Hazaa Abou Jawhar for purposes satisfying an order to supply some goods at the Ministry of Defence for the Zambia Air Force which he was supposed to buy from South Africa.
Situmbeko said the conditions and terms of the loan faciltiy was that the credit would attract 15 per cent interest every 30 days.
He said upon borrowing the said money and due to Sampa’s persuasive narratives and upon being convinced that the said money would be paid back within a week, he agreed to lend Sampa some money and the parties enetered into a verbal agreement for the provision of a loan facilty worth US $57,000.
“Sampa promised that he would pay back the monies borrowed within seven days and it was expressly agreed by the parties that since the plaintiff was travelling to South Africa then, Sampa would deposit the US $57,000 into the plaintiff’s bank acount which he would draw and use the money for his business transactions in South Africa,” Situmbeko said. “The plaintiff travelled and was in South Africa for more than a week but Sampa did not deposit the money as per the agreement and efforts to contact him proved futile as most of the time his phone went unanswered.”
He said owing to Sampa’s elusiveness he persued him upon return to Zambia to recover his money and only managed to recover US $25,000 which Sampa paid through his brother Norman Sampa who is a lawyer.
Situmbeko said in the process of pursuing for payment of the outstanding balance he incurred more costs in the tune of US$3,500 which he paid to debt collectors whom he had engaged to trace Sampa for the recovery of the outstabding debt.
He said his funders have continued charging interest on the outstanding balance at 15 per cent every month.
“The defedant has failed to pay the US $38,500 inclusive of the interest acrrued at 15 per cent for the outstanding balance plus the 10 per cent debt collection fee spent on pursuing the defedant,” contended Situmbeko. “The defedant owes the plaintiff US $38,500 and his intention is to deprive the plaintiff of the use of the said monies. Despite several reminders Sampa has willfully neglected, refused and ignored to adhere to the plaintiff’s claim.”