A London High Court has held Former second republican president Dr. Frederick Chiluba and four others to have conspired in defrauding Zambia of US$25 million and US$21 million respectively from two major conspiracies.
The funds were mostly siphoned from the, Zamtrop account, a London branch of the
Zambia National Commercial Bank and the BK conspiracy fraud, which involved the
payment of US$20 million to Mr. Richard Soriano, alias Katebe Katoto, for the supply
of millitary armour to the Zambian Government.
And the London High Court presided by Judge Peter Smith, has ordered Dr. Chiluba to
return 85 percent of the US$21 million he is alleged to have plundered during his tenure within 14 days of reciept of the order.
Judge Smith said this in his interim judgement in London, monitored via video conferencing at Chikwa Courts in Lusaka today.
This is in a case in which Dr. Chiluba, Former Intelligence Chief Xavier Chungu, former Finance Permanent Secretary Stella Chibanda and two former directors of Access Financial Services, Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu are accused of plunder of state funds involving millions of dollars.
In his ruling, Dr. Chiluba, Mr. Kabwe and Mrs Chibanda have also been held to have
broken the mandatory duties they owed to the Zambian people.
The court also held Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu to have dishonestly assisted in
defrauding the country.
The court also ruled that former Zambian ambassador to the United States Attan
Shansonga, is held liable for dishonest assistance in the sum of US$2.9 million, the
sums of stolen government money found in his accounts.
Judge Smith adjudged Raphael Soriano, a Congolese national resident in Belgium, to
have fully particpated with Dr. Chiluba and his accomplices in the BK conspiracy and
to be liable to the misappropriation of US$21 million of stolen Zambian government
money.
Boutique Basile, a Swiss tailors firm were Dr. Chiluba acquired most of his designer
clothes, was found liable for US$1.2 million and dishonest assistance.
The case was taken to the High Court in London because of the money that passed
through accounts in London and then disbursed to Switzerland, Belgium, and the US.
London was at the centre of wrongdoing by 20 defendants based in Zambia, England,
Belgium, Switzerland and the US.
In order to have an effective remedy, the Zambian government had to sue the defendants in London.
The genesis ofthe investigation of the claims pursued in the litigation was the
establishment of the Task Force on Corruption by President Levy Mwanawasa in 2002.
The Task Force was mandated to investigate allegations of plunder of national
resources under Dr. Chiluba’s reign.
But Dr. Chiluba, in his interim reaction to the judgement, maintained that he will not recognise the authority of the London High Court in its attempt to try him in matters that are Zambian as it has no jurisdiction.
He said there is no reasonable justification to have taken the case before a foreign jurisdiction because he was not facing charges of crimes against humanity or human
rights violations.
Dr. Chiluba said Zambia is an independent and sovereign state and that therefore,
Zambian courts should handle claims for and on behalf of Zambians.
He contended that the case proceeded without his defence and representation saying
the outcome smacks of political malice and was designed to suit the sponsors of the
process.
Dr. Chiluba has since been given 14 days in which to appeal against the judgement.
ZANIS
This has got to be a new high in arrogance!!!..But I suppose if the Govt has no backbone to prosecute him he will get away with it..as they all do!!!..Mr Mwanawasa can you give me a job so I can steal some money as well???
Mulamu stealing pa Zed is a qualification.
This qualification is offered by some university along independence Avenue and is either a five year programme or ten year programme depending on how craft one is.Very lucrative prospects though,VJ is the Chancellor
Mr C, the man of god, you even hired a foreign firm to design for you? wow.
well well judgement day as come despite allte legal allaballo going on give levy apat on the soulder.it is very sad that acountry like ours was subjected to such samless corruption. whatever was e thinking. was e ok. we need to check what happened wilst he was in prison or was he trying to show of to kk that he had it all. he was to overcome with his vindictiveness.
if we are to avoid such a circus that is the successor humiliatin and punishing predecessor syndrome learn to take a leaf from soth africa. madiba never held a grudge against the aparthied regime.
and the fight against corruption should also continue in this government. check out the posh mansions for civil servants in chalala,most of them get salaries below 1 million.and the rock on lpm finger explain, masebo’s expensive holland sequined wax outfits,matching rocks for each outfit and the lavish hats not forgetting the matching straps for each watch. aprecedent on lavish dressing
kwena kwena $ 46 million . there about 8-10 million people in zambia this was real plunder so each person would ave got about 5 million each kwena it pains. this is acrime against humanity. y werent the proceedings brought at the icj or better still a united nations criminal tribunal for zambia.
justice has to prevail!kaile bamudala balekana jurisdiction nomba iyi ni crime against humanity.he sd ave been tried like milosevic te zambians are suffering and this is aviolation of our right to sustainable development wc is recognised at an international level
Born out of deception.Grew in deception.Got qualications and a name by deception.Ruled by deception.Earned by deception.Still lives by deception.
When we say he is Chiluba, are we sure he is really the one?
This man is trully a counterfeit!
I PITY CHILUBA VERY MUCH!!!!!
A COUNTRY LIKE ZAMBIA WHICH IS VERY FAR AWAY FROM DEVELOPMENT TO HAVE A PRESIDENT “THEIF”? YOU HAVE DEPRIVED US OF THE LITTLE TREASUERS WE HAD.THEN YOU ALSO GON ON TO STILL ANOTHER MANS WIFE?ARE YOU HUMAN?
WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE MMD BLOOD. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME.cHILUBA DID NOT STEEL ALONE!!!!!!!THEY ARE ALL THIEVES: CONSIDER THE MARGIN BETWEEN THE POOR AND THE RIVH. IT IS TOO BROAD.
ftj is paying for his sins. the sooner he repents and admits that he stole the better. bravo to the post Nawakwi, dipak and levy for starting the fight.
aluta continua
Lukqua – thats funny. That is a very smart observation everything about that man was/is deceptive- you forgot the quasi American accent and the 4inches of extra height from the swiss platform shoes. In life my dears whatever badness you create goes around comes back around and bites you in the….
It is just so sad that people you entrust to run a country can steal so much and deprive the zambian people the wealth they deserve! The truth will set you Free!
That man was a real genius of a thief for sure. Anyway, you reap what you sow
#76: If you have evidence, please do not hesitate to contact ‘Judge Smith – London High Court’ so that he could add to his caseload. ‘Looks like Zambians cannot solve their own internal problems. Where are our learned Zambian Lawyers 44 years later??
Just a thought, how come Attan Shansonga’s name is not mentioned any more???
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