Legal troubles continue to pile on PF Intercity commander, as ACC slaps fresh charges
LEGAL troubles have continued to pile on the once-feared PF commander of Intercity Bus Terminus battalion Francis Muchemwa.
Three weeks after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) confiscated what they believed were Muchemwa’s dubiously-acquired houses in Silverest area for which he is being prosecuted, the anti-graft body has slapped him with two more fresh charges.
ACC believes Muchemwa acquired the property, worth K12 million, by impersonating the Zambia tax authority and harassing bus owners and council workers who operate from intercity.
Now ACC also accuses Muchemwa of being a ghost employee at Zesco where he drew an illegal salary during Edgar Lungu’s reign.
Muchemwa has joined the dismantled bulldozer Bowman Lusambo, Clint Sichamba and Hibeene Mwiinga, among others, at the top of the list of those labelled as the “most corrupt” by the ACC, as his corruption charges have accumulated to 10.
The once-feared commander is facing six counts of possessing suspicious property worth over K12 million, two counts of tax evasion, one count of failing to comply with the provisions of the tax income act and obtaining money pecuniary advantages.
He is charged with five counts of possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime which includes a house in Silverest valued at K2.5 million and apartments valued at K4.5 million in the same area which were all acquired between the period of 2015 to 2022.
Muchemwa is alleged to have possessed two Faw trucks pocketing worth more than K1. 4 million as his gross earnings between June 2015 to August 31, 2021 as a Security Sergeant at Zesco Limited with the state arguing that he never worked for the loadshedding implementing power utility.
He is further accused of dishonestly obtaining pecuniary advantage in the sum K141, 400 as subsistence allowances from ZESCO on the pretext that he undertook official trips when in fact not.
The dispirited Muchemwa could not take plea in the new counts as his lawyer from Messrs Tutwa Sandani Ngulube and company ditched him for well to do clients who were appearing before the High Court.
He is expected to take plea today before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Davies Chibwili.
Kalemba
