Former Finance minister Katele Kalumba and three others have filed notices of appeal against the five-year jail terms slapped on each of them by a Lusaka magistrate’s court.
Kalumba, former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda, Access Financial Services (AFS) directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu were on Wednesday each convicted and sentenced for five years imprisonment on various corrupt charges.
The four have also filed in affidavits in support of summons for bail pending appeal to the High Court.
Kalumba argued in his grounds of appeal that the trial magistrate erred in law and fact in convicting him against the weight of evidence.
Other grounds of appeal would follow after his lawyers study the case record.
Kabwe and Chungu said in their grounds of appeal that the trial magistrate misdirected himself on points of law by not considering the ingredients of the offences under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.
Kabwe said the court misdirected itself on a point of law and fact by finding him guilty of corruptly erecting a cottage for former secretary to the treasury Benjamin Mweene.
Magistrate Musona is today expected to hear the bail pending appeal application although Chibanda’s bail application hearing date is yet to be set as her affidavit for bail was filed late.
In the same case Mr Musona also sentenced former chief economist Bede Mphande, former director of budget Boniface Nonde and Mweene to five years imprisonment each but suspended for 24 months.
the circus continues lets wait and see?:-?
zambia is the the only country that gives “the shortest jail sentence” in real sense, five years may mean three days and the so called ‘appeals” rubbish!
We will wait and see………….eh Zambias strong democracy, free to air and again and again.Let the courts study the case
The court will study the case for 5 years. Nipa Zed. Criminals are free while innoent people are in jail.
It was a high court judge acting as a magistrate.
It will be funny if they face the same judge in appeals court.
The appeal will drag for 10 years. We have seen this happen before, so nothing new!!!!!
Here we go. Academic appeals which will take 2 years to commmence .He will continue his position in government until the appeal is heard . Nothing lost. He was busy praising RB last week. What joke !!
Zambians will monitor the handling of these appeals with keen interest. The worry is the length of time they will take while Katele and his fellow inmates will be walking the streets.
You are waisting our precious time to read this rubbish. Just let them go free
The Chiluba Formula will be put in place, the only difference is in Chiluba’s case, it never reached jailing, he secured an illegal aquital from RB whilst Katele was convicted. However, Katele will use the hospital to his advantage like Chiluba to keep out of Jail. I’m told to come with a Traditional healers medical report that he is on bed rest for 5 yrs ( admitted to some thatched hut) for medication. Wait, the DRAMA has Just began. Zambia the real Comedy- Ops the real Africa.
these thieves,even if it is their right to appeal, have no shame! they will be very disappointed when a high court judge gives them ten years each and because they stole so much they will go all the way to the supreme court and again a supreme court panel of judges will slap them more years. reserve something to come and lay your hands on when you are released , don’t spend everything on legal fees
It’s your right to appear and a fair justice. It’s immoral for you to sink alone when the biggest liability (FTJ) Zambia has ever produced is scot-free. It would be more comforting if the whole group went behind bars, there is comfort and strength in togetherness. If they all went in, they would be offering moral support to each other and protecting one other from sex molestation in jail, especially ka FTJ would be ****ed in Jail by the bad guys. Let them appear so that eventually they can all go in at the same time (Hoping there is change of government next year.
Ba Katele, ensure you re-load that computer of yours before the appeal hearing! What a shame that you should go in…