Witness implicates Bishop Alick Banda in dubious ZRA car case
A COURT witness in the Economic and Financial Crimes Court has implicated outspoken Catholic priest, Bishop Alick Banda, naming him as a recipient of a free vehicle, from the Zambia Revenue Authority.
The vehicle is said to be among the 22 cars that were illegally disposed of by two senior-most officials, at the Revenue Authority.
In her evidence in chief before principal resident magistrate Sylvia Munyinya, former Board secretary at ZRA, Suzyo Ng’andu said that the Revenue Authority received a complaint that some vehicles were sold without following procedure.
Ng’andu said investigations were instituted in the matter, in accordance with the internal disciplinary procedures to establish whether the cars were disposed of in accordance with the law.
She said the period under review was from 2017 to 2020.
“We looked at the first batch of vehicles put up for disposal in 2017, we discovered that there were 29 vehicles put up of which, seven were not advertised for sale out, the vehicles were sold to staff but not through the recommend process,”Ng’andu said.
“The next batch was approved for sale in 2018, they were 14 vehicles approved by the board and three of the 14 were sold to non members of staff, infact they were not sold but just given to Derick Mpundu, Heart of Mercy and Bishop Alick Banda.”
She told the Court that investigations further revealed that some members of staff purported to have bought eight vehicles, expressed ignorance about having purchased any vehicles.
“In 2020 there was another of 14 vehicles to be disposed off, our investigations led us to those vehicles, three were not advertised and they were removed from the list, of which they ended up with a charity organization called the Heart of Mercy and one was given to Bishop Alick Banda from the Catholic Church,”Ng’andu disclosed.
She said the vehicles were supposed to be sold to members of staff, through an internal tender.
“The board that gave authority to the disposal of motor vehicles were in two sets: the first set was board chairperson Chileshe Kapwewe, AJ Lungu, Mr Musukwa,Mrs Zimba; the next set of the board was chaired by Bwalya Chiti, Mr Miti, Dr Kalyalya, lyamba, Mrs Otten and the commissioner general during this time was Mr Kingsley Chanda,” Ng’andu said.
She said there was a procedural breach in the manner the cars were disposed of.
During Cross examination by lawyer James Mataliro the witness said she does not know when the disposal policy was approved by the board.
When asked about the issues raised by the whistle blower, the witness said according to the whistleblower some vehicles were sold without being advertised.
She said the responsibility for the disposal of the cars was under the director administration Calistus Kaoma.
When asked if she was aware that Mpundu was given the vehicles so that he could fix them from his garage, the witness denied.
Ng’andu was further asked if at all Mpundu breached the law by taking his client’s vehicles to the garage for fixing but, she responded in the negative.
She also confirmed that for the vehicles received by Heart of Mercy, and Bishop Banda, there was no policy that vehicles bought by members of staff should not end with third parties.
During cross examination by Wynter Kabimba
the witness maintained that three vehicles were given to Derick Mpundu, Heart of Mercy and Bishop Alick Banda.
She said the gate pass indicated that Mpundu picked the vehicles from ZRA.
Ng’andu said she was not aware that some of the vehicles were sold through direct biding.
Asked if Chanda breached procedure, the witness denied saying it was Kaoma who did not follow the laid down procedures.
In this matter former ZRA director general Kingsley Chanda and Calitus Kaoma are charged with abuse of authority of office for disposing of 22 vehicles belonging to ZRA without following guidelines and prejudicing government.
Among the vehicles are 13 Mitsubishi pajeros, a Nissan hardbody, a Nissan Tida, Nissan microbus, a Toyota Corolla, four Toyota Hilux, and a Toyota prado.
Trial continues on September 17.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba September 10, 2024.
Charge Banda for being posession of stolen property.
Brown envelop Bishop. No wonder he is so outspoken at any good being done. No wonder he allowing the Church to be a Lungu mouth piece.
And the Catholic church is ok to used as a “door mat” for a few pieces of silver and self serving individuals?
Was the vehicle donated to the Catholic Church, in which case it would appear on the register of church property, or it was meant to be private property of Archbishop Alick Banda of the Lusaka Archdiocese? Can the witness give the registration details of the vehicle? Since it’s tangible property, the court has to view it to test the evidence of the witness. And who’s in control of the vehicle? If the prosecution is serious, they had better take control of the vehicle or at least restrict it.
Very rotten society. Even people that are supposed to demonstrate unparalleled morals are found in scandals. The next thing we will hear is that have children. Bamakaka. As I always say the adults of this country are useless irresponsible losers with no morals.
This is terrible. Zambians do not know the difference between STATE PROPERTY and private property. Is it any wonder that successive governments have sold and disposed of the people’s property as if it is their own? When ZRA confiscates vehicles, there is no one who is authorised, not even the board, to dispose of them at will. Imagine DEC confiscating chamba and then the guys decide to distribute it among themselves. Or Zambia police after confiscating stolen goods, decide to have an ‘INTERNAL’ bid for the goods! PLEASE LOCK UP THESE THIEVES so that others may learn from it. NOT even the President has the right to do with the people’s property as he pleases.
It explains the Bishop’s hatred for HH and UPND’s win. So he is a beneficiary of PF’s illegal “donations”?So what are the Catholics saying now? Are they still castigating someone who saw a Lucifer dressed in a Bishop’s cloth?
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Get out of this discussion!!
At least fya panga sense nomba, ka hated kalya muli ba Archbishop takaba normal, we have wondering all along where it came from and how it came. Kanshi niku ZRA ku magalimoto. Kwashala kuli ba M’membe nakwena tukeishiba.
Just look at the above idiot Zambezi dwellers, all happy as if they have been snagged by the conman.
The cow brain ones.
Can you not tell it is UPND making up these lies about the Bishop, to intimidate and silence him?
Vote wisely in 2026.
Indigo at least even in your pfidiotic mind you know the to lie under oath in court is a criminal offences tefyo? But then again as long as supporting another pfidiot like bishop satana it’s ok to make such a stupid statement like this……
Arrest the thieves