KBF, KALANDANYA APPEAR IN COURT ON JOINT MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES
By Mabvuto Mtonga
Zambia Must Prosper leader and lawyer, Kelvin Bwalya Fube and four others, have appeared before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to money laundering and failure to report a suspicious transaction charges.
Fube is jointly charged with a data clerk, Beauty Chama aged 39, and three businessmen Ibrahim Mitha, Hassan Hanif Mitha and Bwalya Chitalu Kalandanya.
They are facing three counts of possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime, money laundering and failure to report a suspicious transaction.
Allegations in count one are that Chama between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown did possess seven flats at stand No. JES/ 118 situate in Jesmondine valued at K 6,125,000.00, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.
Count two alleges that Chama, Ibrahim, Hassan, Kalandanya and Fube between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did engage directly or indirectly in a transaction that involved proceeds of crime.
In the last count, it is alleged that Fube between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did negligently fail to submit a suspicious report to the centre.
When the matter came up for possible plea before Magistrate Silvia Munyinya, all the accused persons denied the charges after they were read to them.
The court adjourned the matter to July 17, 2023 for commencement of trail.
In October last year, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit, arrested Kalandanya and four others for money laundering activities involving over K6 million.
The Commission further arrested Bwalya for Failure to report a suspicious transaction.
In a statement, DEC Deputy Public Relations Officer Delight Haangala said Kalandanya, between January 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022, whilst acting together with other persons unknown, concealed the true ownership of seven fully furnished flats in Lusaka’s Jesmondine, valued at K6,125,000.
Haangala said Kalandanya allegedly transferred the said flats to a Beauty Chama, who claims not to have known about the property.
She said the property was also said to have been sold to businessmen Ibrahim Mitha, 35 and Hassan Hanif Mitha, 28, without the knowledge of the alleged owner through KBF and Partners law firm.
Ms Haangala further said allegations are that Kalandanya did transfer the said flats to Beauty Chama, a female aged 39 years and a Data Clerk at Civic Centre Clinic who has also been arrested by the Commission for possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime, who claims not to have known about the property. Furthermore, the property is said to have been sold to Ibrahim Mitha, a male aged 35 and Hassan Hanif Mitha, a male aged 28, without the knowledge of the alleged owner through KBF and Partners law firm. -iTvNews