Chaponda corruption case adjourned, verdict May 18

The fate of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice president for the South George Chaponda will be known on May 18 2018 when the Zomba Magistrate Court will make its determination on whether he has a case to answer or not in the Zambia maize procurement deal.

Zomba chief resident magistrate Paul Chiotcha set the date yesterday after he adjourned the corruption-related case to next Friday for the State to make its oral submissions.

The disgruntled former minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development was arrested last year alongside Blantyre-based businessperson Rashid Tayub, who is operations director of Transglobe Produce Limited, for suspected corrupt acts in the maize transaction.

Chaponda is answering three charges which include giving false information to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), influencing a public officer to misuse his position and possession of foreign currency while Tayub is answering to the charge of persuading a public officer to misuse his position. They both deny the charges.

Yesterday only the defence team comprising Tamando Chokhotho—representing Chaponda and Lusungu Gondwe and Jai Banda representing Tayub, made their oral submissions after ACB lawyers—Macmillan Chakhala and Imran Saidi requested for an adjournment due to their other commitments.

In their submissions, the defence argued that no single witness adduced any evidence incriminating the accused.

“Your honour we are of the view that the State has completely failed to make out a case against the accused… You will observe from the evidence there is nothing implicating the accused to persuaded Mr Mulumbe [former chief executive officer for Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation-Admarc] to offer a contract to Transglobe to export from Zambia 50 000 metric tonnes of maize for Admarc to purchase,” said Banda.

The defence also asked the court to return gadgets that ACB confiscated when they arrested Chaponda which include mobile phones and computers, among others, but the lead prosecutor Chakhala said they should put their request in writing for consideration.

The State is expected to make its oral submissions next Friday before the chief resident magistrate makes his determination on May 18. n