Friday, March 29, 2024

Nevers Mumba did not abuse funds- Nzowa

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Nedson Nzowa (r) after testifying in Court
Nedson Nzowa (r) after testifying in Court

Former Deputy High Commissioner to Canada Nedson Nzowa said Mumba did not abuse his authority of office regarding the awarding of a contract to carpet the High Commissioner’s residence because he did not make the decision alone.

Mr Nzowa was testifying in a case in which Mumba is charged with alleged abuse of authority of office and mismanagement of public funds involving over Canadian dollars (CAD$) 156, 000.Mr. Nzowa also told the court that the process to repair the High Commissioner’s residence was initiated way before Dr. Mumba had been appointed as Zambia’s High Commissoner to Canada.He said the condition of the High Commissioner’s residence was habitable but it needed repairs before Mumba occupied it.

The Former deputy commissioner testified that Barrick Gold Corporation donated CAD$122, 229.85 to the Zambian High Commission in Canada.

“There was correspondence from Barrick Gold stating that the donation was to the High Commission. The moment the money was donated to the mission, it became public funds,” he said.

Mr Nzowa said it was the responsibility of the High Commissioner to source funds.

It is alleged that Mumba failed to comply with procedures in receiving and disbursing CAD$122, 229.85, illegally awarded a contract for electrical works (CAD$9,000) and carpeting (CAD$19,850) at the High Commissioner’s residence to Restcon Construction Services and Argos Carpet Limited, respectively.
Mumba is also alleged to have awarded a contract for the construction of a deck at the Zambian High Commissioner’s residence valued at CAD$5,248 to Stanmark Construction.

Mr Nzowa also said during re-examination by Anti-Corruption Commission senior legal and prosecutions officer Silumesi Muchula, that the Zambia Canada Association of Ottawa distanced itself from some members who were nominated by Mumba to be part of the Zambia/Canada Cultural Exchange Programme.
He said the association wanted to nominate the people to be part of the programme. The members who were nominated to be part of the cultural exchange programme were the association’s president Joseph Daka, Cecilia Mulenga (secretary) and Ngosa Chintomfwa (treasurer).
And Mr Nzowa said during cross-examination by Makebi Zulu, who is one of Mumba’s lawyers, that no member of staff at the mission abused their authority of office.

The matter comes up on June 3 for continued trial.

43 COMMENTS

    • My own view is that Dr. Mumba should stop politics now. He is wasting Heavenly resources that God gave him to be a vessel through which the gospel can pass through into the whole World. He is like Jonah who went to a destination that he was not supposed to go and ended up in the fish’s belly for three days. Dr. Mumba will not have peace until he goes back to his first love: The Word of God. Let those who have ears hear what the Lord is saying.

  1. Thats good news, but he should quit politics, when does one see through reality and make sound descions in their life, please ba mumba one last time…, quit politics, this is not your life run now while you still can, look at Hakaivotela Humwine, he has started regreting, you still have a chance.

    • When did HH regret? It is the persecutors who are regretting. Pa Fwaka is the real problem. Pa Fyamba is really bringing problems in Zambia. No regrets Dr. Mumba, No regrets HH. Just continue going. Pa Fwaka is a spent force.

    • Depends from which angle you see it, some are born presidents and they dont need to try hard, as for others, we all know the story!

    • Why should an energetic, young, rich and intelligent HH, quit politics when we still have very used, reused, tired and sick beings still in politics and not just in politics but at state house despite the bladder, the liver and the heart complaining?? Leave HH for once you jealous rats who are not different from the dying UKWA!!

    • @sana.. yes and others sell their souls to the devil to become presidents. Then they die and go to hell without enjoying presidency

    • @Sana,
      Your contribution was good to read until when you maliciously decided to corrupt HH’s name. Is it out of hatred for the man and his tribe or what?

    • Yes, UKWA was in opposition for ten years and only fot the presidency too late when he is in the evenings of his life. I mean too late to even enjoy the presidency. HH has only been President of UPND for 6 years, yes 6 years, he has not even clocked 7 years as President of UPND. UNKWA stood in 2001 and lost terribly, he also stood in 2006 after Anderson Mazoka who was giving UKWA sleepless nights died but again lost terribly, he again stood in 2008 and lost terribly until he decided to sell his soul to the devil so that perhaps he could win the elections. He won win the elections with very few number of MPs in parliament and only started buying MPs one by one in order to create a one party state. But God is not happy and today UKWA is on the death bed!! So watch out, don’t mock God!!

    • Geez guys, you are so divided, ine nachilandafye, imwe you prolong the topic with trivial things i never see sense in, like; tribalism riches etc, actually am giving positive advice to Ba mumba, if you read btwn the line, am telling him that politics are dirty if he stays clinched in such activities he will regret like HH, am 100% sure that HH some how regrets especially after reading his statements recently, eg, wanting some dialogy and crying about the state trying to cease his Assets etc, ala mwebantu, life doesnt revolve around politics, let alone quiting church to go and fight with non believers, bala lanfya no kubutulusha bad, as for HH, i have no beef with him infact am cool with everyone including you fellow bloggers, now what do you think over chipolopolo, baletusebanya right?

    • This is wrong advice….its because you have accepted injustice as a way of life and the that upright should survive by dining with the oppressors. Mumba has made the right decision and people like you should be brave enough and stand with him and fight for injustice till it wins. You can clearly see that people are charged with cases for political expedience; I don’t think this is the dream you have for Zambia. God has given us this country and authority to rule over it; as for me I will continue to stand for justice till I see it.

    • This is wrong advice….its because you have accepted injustice as a way of life and the that upright should survive by dining with the oppressors or watch from a distant comfort zone. Mumba has made the right decision and people like you should be brave enough and stand with him and fight for injustice till it wins. You can clearly see that people are charged with cases for political expedience; I don’t think this is the dream you have for Zambia. God has given us this country and authority to rule over it; as for me I will continue to stand for justice till I see it.

  2. It is alleged that Mumba failed to comply with procedures in receiving and disbursing CAD$122, 229.85,

    What a petty boma we have mwe.

  3. If that is the only state witness how embarassing! But again does the govt care so long their ends are met trying to fix their competitors! Shame

  4. You can imagine the amount of money that has been used to purchase tickets, accommodation and allowances to the Sikanze based detectives to go to Canada to fish for ‘dry fish’ from a ‘dry pond’ in Lake Ontario. Colossal. All for nothing really.

  5. What an embarrassing situation to those who walk in the ‘streets’ of power. The truth shall come on all the true and clean leaders being tried in the courts of law. I just wonder when the 90 days promises they made shall be fulfilled or is it a way of trying to shift the attention of their none performing govt? Get back to serious work and stop this nonsense of transferring senior officers before they settle in their offices. Anyway, what do you expect from a sick man

  6. This same government which has set a precdent of making public officers to indemnify government for loss suffered by the state due to actions of officers and are persuing pipo like Shikapwasha[aka Shipwetete] should be mindfull of the consequences that will follow individual officers when they leave office.I encourage Nevers to sue and he shall be succesfull and the damages paid to him shall be recovered from the likes of Muntembo for proecuting such a useless case.The same goes forRB

  7. BA LT DO NOT MISLEAD YOU BLOGGERS.
    1. IT IS ONLY IN THE AWARDING OF CONTRACTS THAT MR NZOWA SAID MUMBA WAS NIOT WRONG. BUT EVEN THAT HAS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COURTS.
    2. BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE WAY THE DOLLARS WERE RECEIVED AND BANKED INTO MUMBAS PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND HOW MUMBAS WIFE BECAME A SIGNATORY TO THAT ACCOUNT, NZOWA HAS NOT COMMENTED. SO BA LT DO NOT MISLEAD THE BLOGGERS . UNLESS YOU HAVE AN AGENDA.

    • Chisenga,
      It is evident from your contribution that you are impartial and desperate to see Mumba convicted. What LT has reported is factual based on what went on in court yesterday. Abuse of Authority is a particular charge against Mumba and therefore if a key witness gives evidence to the contrary it is worth the headline. I have to agree that the key issue is with the bank account and any criminality can only be with “abusing funds” for personal benefit. If the funds in the account were not abused for personal benefit, then there is no case here. Opening an account in any name is not a criminal offence whether following the rules or not. And one can see just how trivial this case is because if no funds where abused Mumba should have just been removed from his position which has…

    • Ba Chisenga, most of these bloggers prefer to lies to the truth. Mumba will soon be jailed and chasing appeals. Mr. Nzowa was clarifying which area Mumba at least followed procedure. The rest was total abuse or what will we call the banking of public in his personal account with his wife as signatory?

  8. The post has contributed to the problems our great country Zambia is going through by being in a pact with a useless & tell lies to the Zambian yet want their newspaper to sell!

  9. The Post story is different. It explains in detail how Nzowa was amazed to discover an account that noone else save Mumba knew. He also told Mumba noto use his wife as a signatory to embassy accounts. Who is giving the true account of proceedings?

    • You should have heard Mr. Nzowa. First correction, Mumba’s wife was not a signatory, second it was not Mumba’s personal account. Thirdly and most importantly the donation by Barrick Gold was towards Amayenge Band and the logistics to bring them to Canada, there were actually 3 signatories, two from the ZAMCAN association, and D.r Mumba as the third. All receipts/ transactions were copied and sent back to Barrick, so as to ensure the tax write off. Barrick was infact very satisfied, so was the auditor General’s office.

      So many of you bloggers depend on second, third hand information. Know the facts and be diligent to know the truth, this case is so embarrassing for the State. Mr. Zulu did an excellent cross examination by the way.

      Cheers.

      Justice will prevail.

    • It is the truth. Next time try and attend court when Mumba is appearing! The man opened a private account for money meant for cultural exchange as provided by the Canadian governt to GRZ. You will be shocked when Mumba is locked up, start following the case so that you don’t debate with less than adequate understanding of the case.

  10. Nzowa was lured into being a state witness not knowing that in court, lawyers ask probing questions such that if you are lying you end up being exposed. As can be seen, the state must be leaking its own wounds seeing that Nzowa is not covering up as the state would want. You cannot trump up charges and hope for them to stick. Just enter another nolle though you will be embarrassed. Dr Mumba is innocent and nothing you do, as long as you are being malicious, can bring him down. So please, hands off the man of God.

  11. This is just so disgusting ! The zambian people should task the PF government to bring back all the money being stolen right before everyone’s eyes.

  12. That is a lie and they know it. It does not cost that much for carpentry and repairs. As well organisations do not just donate money like that to an embassy and in most cases illegal. Embassies like the US embassy do not accept donations from companies. That money went to the house Nzowa bought here in Canada for his family. Same man applying for refugee status in Canada.

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