Mafinga PF MP in court over unpaid hotel bills
MAFINGA PF member of parliament Robert Chabinga has been taken to court by Mapalo Lodge ‘the hotel’ for non-payment of hospitality services amounting to K62,530 which he accrued five years ago.
Hotel manager Noah Mutoti has lodged a complaint against Chabinga before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for leaving a hotel without clearing his bills.
According to the complaint, Mutoti said between March 14, and June 30, 2016, Chabinga requested and received hospitality services at the hotel located in Lusaka’s Chudleigh area, food, beverages, lodging, and accumulated a bill of K62,530.
He said after checking out of the hotel on June 30, 2016, the former Post Newspaper liquidation manager purported to make a payment of K52,000 by issuing cheque No. 000054 at Barclays Bank account No. 0000001008495.
Mutoti submitted that the cheque was however dishonoured by the bank due to insufficient funds and it bounced.
Mutoti stated that out of courtesy, he attempted to resolve the matter with Chabinga amicably but all attempts to have him settle the bill had proved futile as he had been elusive while the bill remained unpaid to date.
“I made a complaint to the Zambia Police Service regarding the bounced cheque. And when Chabinga was summoned to the police to answer to my complaint, he did not respond personally, but engaged a purported Zambia Police Service official to appear on his behalf; an act smacking of misconduct and irregularity on the part of the police service official,” Mutoti said.
“The accused’s act of leaving a hotel without paying the bill or making arrangements with the hotel-keeper, or his agents or servant that the bill may be left in abeyance is contrary to Section 24 of the Hotels Act and constitutes a criminal offence.”
The hotel manager further said Chabinga’s act of issuing a cheque willfully, dishonestly or with intent to defraud on an insufficiently funded account was contrary to the law and constituted an offence.
Chabinga, who is known for living an ‘exaggerated’ lifestyle, is facing three counts of leaving a hotel without paying bills for board or making arrangements with the hotel keeper or his agent or servant that the bill may be left in abeyance, obtaining pecuniary advantage to incur a debt and evade settlement and issuing a cheque on an insufficiently funded account.
The newly elected law maker also has two pending similar cases before the High Court for non-payment of rentals.
Two female Lusaka residents of PHI and Ibex Hill are demanding thousands of dollars from Chabinga for rental arrears He is expected to take plea before magistrate Faidess Hamaundu.
Credit: The Mast Newspaper