Late President Sata cleared me of all charges, I should be released – GBM
INCARCERATED former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba commonly known as GBM has asked the Lusaka High Court to grant him leave to adduce a letter given to him by late former President Michael Sata which exonerates him of all his corrupt charges.
Mwamba said he wants the evidence to be determined by the High Court because the subordinate court denied him to tender it as part of evidence.
In an affidavit in support of summons, Mwamba said he gave oral evidence to the effect that he declared his interest in writing as required in the contracts and that the late President Sata cleared him and all investigations were closed.
He submitted that he was declined an opportunity to produce a letter which was written to him by the late Sata dated Feb 12 ,2013.
“In the said letter, I was informed that I was exonerated from all allegations of corrupt practices and conflict of interest in relation to contracts awarded to Curzon Global limited by the ministry of defence,” he filed.
Mwamba told the court that he kept the said letter where his interest were declared and made effort to produce it before the trial court but it was rejected on account that he allegedly did not lay a proper foundation when producing the document.
Mwamba further submitted that the trial court denied him an opportunity to produce the documents marked GBM1, GBM2,GBM3 and GBM4, which contains appropriate evidence.
“This is the appropriate court which can admit the said documents as further evidence and no prejudice shall be occassioned on the state once these documents are produced and admitted as further evidence,” he said.
Mwamba said the documents marked GBM1,GBM 3 and GBM 4 are answering all the charges relating to conflict of interest which he was charged with by the State among other offences and the same are crucial to the determination of the appeal by the court.
“The document marked GBM2 was not produced by the prosecution in a bid to secure a conviction as the said document exonerates me from wrong doing and shows that investigations should not have been opened for the second time.”
He said it was unprocedural and unethical for the prosecution not to produce the document marked GBM2 which the prosecution had in their possession during trial.
Mwamba contends that if the said document was produced in the trial, he was not going to be convicted.
“The documents once admitted have the potential to over turn the decision of the trial court and the same will enable the court determine the appeal on its merits.”
“This court has the authority to hear and grant this application,” he shared.
Mwamba said by admitting the documents into court and allowing the same to be part of the record of appeal will enable him to be fairly heard by the independent and impartial court.
“The interest of justice demands that this court grants me leave to produce the documents so that the appeal is heard in a just and correct manner and on its merits,” Mwaba stated.
Mwamba, was on October 9, last year sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour. In 13 of the 24 counts he was charged with failure to declare interest and money laundering charges.
By Lucy Phiri
Kalemba March 14, 2025