Ex-minister nabbed
File:Former Western Province Minister Richard Mwapela talking to journalists during World Press Freedom Day Celebrations in Mongu.
FORMER Western Province minister in the MMD government, has been arrested for alleged forgery and theft.
A joint Government investigations team in Western Province arrested the former minister on alleged charges of nine counts of forgery,theft by public servant and uttering false documents.
Chairperson, Fanwell Siandenge, said investigations had since been extended to other senior Government officers concerning irregular retiring of imprest and forged receipts.
Mr Mwapela has been slapped with three counts of forgery, three counts of uttering false documents, three counts of abuse of authority of office and theft by public servant.
Mr Siandenge said Mr Mwapela is alleged to have instructed the then Provincial Permanent Secretary, Seth Muleya to retrieve K48,260,000 from the Constituency Development Fund.
The money was allegedly retrieved from Ndala Kawengu Construction Company which was contracted to put up Green Market in Kalabo District in 2010.
Mr Mwapela did not deposit the money he allegedly got from Government coffers.
Mr Siandenge said in other offences, Mr Mwapela retired accountable imprest amounting to K16,180,000 using alleged forged receipts between June 10 and October 13, 2010.
‘I can confirm that Mr Mwapela has been arrested and charged with six counts. He retired accountable imprest amounting to K16,180,000 using forged receipts in 2010 bearing Cross Roads and Lui Holiday Homes of Lusaka when he was provincial minister and Kalabo Central Member of Parliament,’ he said.
Mr Mwapela was released on bond and immediately appeared in the Mongu Magistrate’s Court where he denied all the nine allegations.
In another development, a clerical officer in the procurement unit at the Western Province administration office, Nosiku Lifuka has been jailed for one year.
She was arrested for using prominent business executive, Amatende Lubosi’s company to print forged receipts for fuel involving K3,114,900.
Mr Siandenge said Lifuka was convicted on three counts of theft by public servant and three counts of forgery and another three counts of uttering of a false document.
[Times of Zambia]
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:((
LOOK AT THE NAMES, WHO CAN REALLY SAY THAT ALL THOSE ARE BEMBAS? SEE THE NAMES YOU BEMBA HATERS. WHEN THEY STILL MONEY FOR DEVELOPING THEIR PROVINCE THEY COME BACK AND BLAME THE GOVERNMENT OF SIDELINING THE PROVINCE. AND ALL THEY WANT IS TO LIVE IN LUSAKA WITH GOOD HOMES AND CARS.
@2 KANOWENE – Kaili we know you are now hunting down any other tribe and jailing them just to prove that you are not the only thieves in the country. But deep down we all know the truth, don’t we – about who steals the most in Zambia? Let’s wait after 2016 when PF scandals start coming out: I’m sure when that time comes just hearing one thieveing scandal will make people faint!!! I mean already you are stealing even elephant tusks at ZAWA in broad day light. When helping oneself is concerned, nobody can beat a Bemba! Bemba is in premiership! These small cases they are publicising are in Division Two league. Do you agree with me?
your mom is bemba, what is the problem, why the diss?
They are criminals as theft by public servant is a very serious offence read the uk broadsheets you may just learn ,,,
Tawakwata mano iwe mukukulu.Imisango ububi.
$_$……. okay, we all agree that pa Zed there is big time theft… $_$
Abuche mwapela kona lucwani fa hape.Mwa bona cwale litaba za Barotseland agreement ni mulwanisa Bulozi ni Muso wa Zambia kio keumifetuhela
Facts will ever remain facts. Opinions can twist presentation of facts and wrong decisions can be made. But once facts are established the truth prevails. We are all Zambians. In each tribe of Zambia there are very honest people indeed but reality is there are also thieves, trick stars, conmen/women, tribalists, you name it. This is a collection of people, a bunch of Zambians. We have share common traditions time in memorial. We have prisoners from all corners of the country just because they wronged local areas. No tribe is devoid of thieves. This former minister is just one of them. In Northern Province they resently had to do with a former provincial official. It has also happened in Southern Province. Theft is in all tribes. This guy knew what he was doing, passage of time has answers.
wat about MPOMBO?
uttering false documents , dont really get this one, may be some one can explain, but a thief will always be a thief keep on nabbing the bad apples destroying our beloved country.
Zambians with your comments, you never cease to amuse me. Let the Police do their job please, if this Mwapela is proved innocent, let him go freeeeee, yaba!
This tribal talk makes me seek at times!!! You have spoiled my day.
Wechipubawe, seek what? what do you want to seek? Or by the way, do you mean Sick?
Tribalism is the same as racism. We cannot change people’s tribes just as we cannot change the races of people. Therefore, since racism or racist segregation is outlawed by the major international organisation, we in Zambia must lead the way by making sure that tribalism is outlawed, and becomes punishable under our laws.
Taking an exceptional stance against tribalism will ensure a stable and a safe future for Zambia. Our ancestors worked very hard, in fact they were more civilized when it came to matters of tribe, and our early politics garbed the opportunity and enshrined this civility into the “One Zambia One Nation” way of life. It is sad that it is the young and so-called educated well-travelled people who are now seeing tribalism in everything. We are stronger together!
Not guilty. Try ZAWA sir. To be Lozi is a crime in Zambia.
who told to you that to be lozi is a crime? So you are saying all criminals in Zambia are Lozis?
Its like stealing your own food from your own house, this **** stealing constituency development fund, thats why Mongu cant develop fast and if they cant develop their own province they blame the government and start crying about Barotseland agreement, forgeting that government gave them money and they put it in their pockets, shame on you mongu fellas.
PLEASE everybody I’m not justifying theft in anyway. Anybody caught with public property or stolen goods should face the law. Sata and his cronies can escape the law at the moment because they are in power. RB did the same. Chiluba did the same. Mwanawasa was famous for the family-tree. Seriously speaking there is nothing new in the mistakes that Sata is commiting, we have seen them before. The only problem with Sata is that: firstly, he is commiting all the mistakes in which previous presidents used to specialise in only one of them; secondly, Sata is not hiding, he is doing everything openly. What he forgets is that he might not be there 20 years from now, but his family will continue suffering for the mistakes he is commiting. This is what killed Chiluba.
Please lock them all these thiefs. A thief is a thief regardless the tribe. I have no kinds words for thieves….. let all be jailed period.
Ala bane ! Some they steal in billions and are still walking the streets of Lusaka ,while this Nosiku girl goes in for 3 million chabe ? Damn ! The justice system is not balanced pa Zed.
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