GBM’s JAILED NEPHEW COMPLAINS OF NEGLECT

GBM’s JAILED NEPHEW COMPLAINS OF NEGLECT

THE ‘wealthy’ nephew of Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, Adolphus Mubanga yesterday lamented of being neglected by his relatives as he took a solo trip to prison after he was jailed two years by the Economic and Financial Crimes Court for failing to account for his wealth.

As he was being led to a posh vehicle belonging to the Anti-Corruption Commission that was in the car park awaiting to transport him to Lusaka Central Correctional Facility, the handcuffed Mubanga complained that the Mwambas had cast him off too early.

The relatives noted among them GBM’s last born son Muma, daughter Musama and three others opted to remain in the Courtroom at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court as Mubanga was being taken to his jail house.

Upon noticing that there was no one to see him off Mubanga complained about being discarded.

“These people (relatives) they are not even here, I have asked them to give me some money but they have failed to provide for me, can you imagine,” Mubanga lamented to the ACC officer in the car park.

Mubanga who is the country director of Curzon Global Limited was sentenced to two years imprisonment for posessing K5,555,954 in his three bank accounts which is suspected to have been illl gotten.

Mubanga was facing three counts of posessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime which he denied.

In count one Mubanga between June 1, 2021 and August 30, 2021, possessed ZMW4, 050,000 in his Bank Account held at First National Bank Zambia, property reasonably suspected of being Proceeds of crime.

In the second count Mubanga between July 1,2015 and August 30,2015 possessed ZMW980, 000 through Muchinga Procurement Limited Bank Account held at Intermarket Bank, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

In the third count Mubanga between August 1, 2015 and November 30, 2015 possessed ZMW 525,954 through his Bank Account held at Absa Bank Zambia PLC, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

In her judgement Lusaka principal resident magistrate Irene Wishimanaga ruled that there is no evidence to show Mubanga’s source of income for the obscene amounts of money deposited into his accounts.

She said the prosecution does not have to show the link between the accused and the property to prove that the same was ill-gotten as what needed to be proved is the transactions.

“It raised suspicion when Muchinga procurement was paid without reason to show what it did for Curzon global in order to receive such amounts of money warranting Mubanga to claim that it was an agent fee,”Magistrate Wishimanga said.

She said there is no trail of money for the payments of the services Mubanga rendered to Curzon Global as he failed to explain how much he was getting as an agent.

“The state has proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. I find Adolphus Mubanga guilty for possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime and I convict him accordingly,” magistrate Wishimanga said.

In mitigation Mubanga’s lawyer Francis Daka asked the Court to exercise leniency and that he had no explanation as he had already exculpated himself in his defence.

Handing down her sentence magistrate Wishimanga imposed a two year jail term in each count and ordered that the sentences will run concurrently.

CAPTION: Adolphus Mubanga (in blue shirt) is led to prison by an ACC officer

Kalemba