Thursday, March 28, 2024

State still holds seized emeralds from Moses Katumbi.

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Katanga province governor Moses Katumbi

PARLIAMENT yesterday heard that government is still in possession of a trunk of emeralds worth US$214,223.60 that was confiscated from governor of Katanga Province in Democratic Republic of Congo, Moses Katumbi.

Vice President George Kunda told the House that the emeralds are secured in an undisclosed bank and that they are safe.

Deputy Minister of Justice Todd Chilembo told Parliament yesterday that government is in the process of handing over the emeralds to Mr Katumbi following the agreement he signed with the Zambian government.

Mr Chilembo said this in response to a question by Kanchibiya member of Parliament Davies Mwango (PF) who wanted to know why Government returned the assets belonging to Mr Katumbi and what the value of the retuned assets is.

This was during questions for oral answer. Mr Chilembo said the agreement signed between Mr Katumbi and the Zambian government through the Task Force on Corruption sought to reach an amicable out of court settlement of the civil court proceedings and claims filed by Mr Katumbi in the High Court of Lusaka and Kitwe.

He said in public interest, government agreed and undertook to close all civil proceedings and claims that were pending against government as represented by the Attorney General, Anti-Corruption Commission and Drug Enforcement commission.

Mr Chilembo said the High courts in Kitwe and Lusaka endorsed the agreement. He explained that as a result of the agreement signed between government and Mr Katumbi, properties were forfeited to the Zambian government and sold. Mr Chilembo said various mining equipment and motor vehicles located at Kalulushi, Lufwanyama and Lusaka were sold at over K3 billion.

He said money forfeited to government was K183,679,243.59 and US$16,695.03. Mr Chilembo said office furniture and equipment were sold at K13,719,00.00. He said further said industrial property stand No NDO 4083/12 in Ndola was handed over to National Housing Authority (NHA) for disposal with an estimated value of K1.8 billion.

And Mr Chilembo denied reports that the emeralds belonging to Mr Katumbi were stolen. He said this in response to Chipili MP Davies Mwila (PF) asked government to confirm reports that emeralds were stolen.

And Mr Kunda said all the criminal and civil cases leveled against Mr Katumbi were settled in the agreement. He said this in response to Roan MP Chishimba Kambwili (PF) who wanted to know whether the criminal cases against Mr Katumbi were settled.

Mr Kunda said the attorney general settled the agreement with Mr Katumbi on behalf of the Government. He said this in response to Kabwata MP Given Lubinda who asked whether then Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Vernon Mwaanga settled the agreement following his visits to Katanga province.
And Mr Chilembo informed the house that government acquired the Presidential Jet on lease because it was not able to purchase the aircraft in a one off cash transaction due to financial constraints.

He said the Presidential jet was delivered in October 2001 at a cost of US$28,772,813 through a lease agreement with Execujet Aviation Group who sourced most of the financing for the aircraft.

Mr Chilembo said this was paid off in September 2006, after government had paid a total of US$35,950,000, including a residue amount of US$6,000,000 for operations and maintenance by Execujet during the five years lease period and penalties on some delayed remittances.

He said the Presidential aircraft is now fully owned by the Zambian government. Mr Chilembo said this in response to a question by Mr Mwila who wanted to know why government acquired the Presidential jet on leased, the terms of the contract and how much money government has spent on the lease of the Presidential jet.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

7 COMMENTS

  1. NICE ? MR CHILEMBO – CAN THY ALSO TEL US WERE THEY VE TAKEN THAT TRUNK FULL OF DIAMONDS WHICH WERE CONFISCATED FRM THE YOUNG MAN AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – THE YANGER MAN WS COMING FRM ZIM- THE REPORT WS THT THE BOY WS COMIN FROM ZIM.

  2. Wow….the prezido flying high while the people he is supossed to stand for can’t even afford a pair of “patapata” And to afford a just one meal a day is a miracle to many…..Lord help us.

  3. Katumbi squeezed us. FTJ advised him to hold us by our balls. We cried in pain. How did he do it? He stopped DRC concentrates and mineral ore from Katanga to be processed at Chambishi metals and Bwana Mkubwa mines, hence the two processing facilities / mines closed down sending thousands of Zambian workers into the streets, Jobless. The Govt had no option but to plea bargain.

  4. # 1 FUTURE LEADER
    I didn’t understand your statement. TRUNK FULL OF DIAMONDS WHICH WERE CONFISCATED FRM THE YOUNG MAN AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT??????

    # 5 Mpangula Mputyu
    More details plse = How the Zambian gvt scuffled under Mr Katumbi NOT DR Congo?

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