A witness yesterday told the Lusaka magistrate’s court that he personally handed over US$260,000 cash to former President Rupiah Banda to fund his presidential campaign in 2008.
This is in a matter in which Banda, 75, is charged with abuse of authority of office relating to procuring a government-to-government oil deal between Zambia and Nigeria.
SARB’s Energy Limited managing director, Akpan Ekpene 46, told the court that he visited Zambia several times when asked by one of the defence lawyers Lubinda Linyama and that his major purpose of visiting Zambia on the second trip was to support Banda in his election campaign.
He said on that trip he travelled to Zambia with Banda’s campaign materials such as t-shirts which were engraved with an MMD logo.He said he also carried with him $260, 000 in cash which he entered with into the country without declaring it at the airport because he was not given a declaration form by immigration officials to sign.
He said he handed over the said money to Banda at Government House for his use in the 2008 campaigns and stated that it was a private arrangement with the former President.
In his testimony yesterday, Mr Ekpene told the court that in 2011, he again gave Banda, through his son Henry, $500,000 to boost his election campaign.
This was after Banda requested for $1 million advance payment from the government to government oil deal.Mr Ekpene told chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda that he also helped Banda with printed MMD campaign materials which he brought from Nigeria to Zambia.
He said, however, that it was not an offence to fund a political party in his country.He said he made the donation to Banda because Major Richard Kachingwe had allegedly insisted that they needed to support him to win the elections.
When asked whether Banda asked for the donation, Mr Ekpene said “his Excellency received the donation, but his Excellency did not solicit for the donation.’’
Trial continues today.
[Times of Zambia]
What does this mean now?
It means PF should get their heads out of the sewer and focus on the economy and stop this witch hunt. Its no crime to have Nigerian friends who can fund your campaign.
Just like the Oliver Tambo Airport scene, (Taiwanese money) but Sata was not clever enough like a nigerian who managed to sneak in 260 000 then later half a mill.
Interesting, can someone enlighten me on the possible conclusion that can be drawn from this witness’ testimony?
@klokodylo
So far, from whats reported, there is nothing this witness has given to strengthen the states case. In his last appearance he confirmed that Zambia never paid, nor was it expected to pay, any money in this deal. This testimony only suggests that he was an MMD funder. Unless he is building up to claim he did this on “the promise” that the MMD will give him Govt oil contracts in return. But even that will be hard to “stick” since he is saying he started funding RB in 2008. How come by 2011, nothing had moved except for forged stationary by Kachingwe? And despite that, he goes and donates another $500,000. This by all accounts is a fishing expedition for dry fish. The continued use of the term Govt-to-Govt is meant to hook the “abuse of authority” charge but there’s…
Banda will walk a free man. There is no crime here.
Nigerians are another kettle of fish altogether…I’d watch my back if I go after “their” friends…
You are right… to catch nigeria ring, you have to catch them all at the same time,,, RB at the moment has nigerian government backing,, so this `small` nigerian witness knows his bosses are watching him back in lagos, therefore wont making `noise` about RB
Palibe mulandu apa ! Let PF just refocus their little futile energies on mopping up their vomit.
Is this what you call evidence?Membe,Kabimba,Sata and Nchito should live Rupiah Banda and his family alone.This is just a fishing exercise and embarassing to the govt.
There are things I didn’t know much about ‘Alla Bee’ which I now know.
1. Now I know he is not Zambian but born from a Malawian father and a ZIM woman
2. Why he got fired from NAMBOARD as MD in the seventies by KK.
3. Why Henry has ran away from Zambia and never to come back
4. Why James (the other son) is equally implicated in the LOCCI ‘kickback’ case
5. Why he dropped former President Chabala Kafupi’s corruption case
6. Why Zambian Immigration Authorities won’t surrender his Passport despite the court’s orders.
7. Now I know and understand why upon retirement from Politics to settle in Chipata, late Pres. Mwanawasa recalled him to be his VP. Both Patrick & Alla Bee were/are ‘kith n kin’ ; both their parents originated from Nyasaland.
From above, you can see that…
@Nkope
First Mwanawasa’s father was not from Nyasaland. Get your facts right.
You are clearly one of those who want to see RB caged whether guilty or innocent. There is nothing illegal in the testimony above never mind anything that RB did to be labelled a criminal. This guy Akapena has foolishly or rather honestly said RB never solicited for any money. So where is the crookedness in that? Even if he did, it would still not have been illegal unless on the promise of something using state resources.
The PF went to great lengths to have RB’s immunity removed with suggestions of compelling evidence against him. The two cases we have seen so far are the most frivolous cases I have read before a court and it explains why Winter has never won a case.
In 2011 Chimbwi No Plan Wynter took Banda to court of his parentage but failed. Even after the Pathetic Fools won, they launched an investigation into this issue…it’s now close to two years and the Pathetic Fools’ intelligence wing and PF (Police force) have lamentably failed to prove that.
Proof: Sata’s father was from Mbeya (Tanzania) as his lack of respect for Bemba chiefs can show. Who cares if he is Malawian? After all these country boundaries were drawn by Europe without our consent.
oh yes that sounds like a hired witness. alabee may walk but will forever have to watch his back
…the MAN ‘Alla Bee is indeed a CROOK!…
Nkope Shinyenga is the real crook.
You people assume Maana is Human… I have a theory that more and more house pets are getting online when their masters are away from the house.
what do you expect from these cornmen so called nigerian.
conmen
But PF had a hired plane flying around the country and donations from Nchito and Membe from their 14 Million something. was it wrong for Sata to donated to Malawi and Zimbabwe or Miles to donate to the church 20 million after cadres beat them up or GBM donating the church building in Kasama……… or The Tembo is the Copper belt receiving a donation of A car to help her in operations? etc.
neo nasokonekezeka….lomba nibani eiba ndalama apa? nakonshya tyala akwasu?
Soti ni ndalama za wani zechiyiba?
We need to be objective here. If we criticize P.F.s wrong doings, we cannot sit idly by & not criticize this R.B / M.M.D scam, as do so would be undemocratic. 1. Why would a Nigerian of all people give someone who’s NOT related to them that kind of cash, when there’s Millions of starving Nigerians back home? 2. A person who carries this amount of cash from one country to another, knows very well a declaration form MUST be filled in, no excuses. This stinks to high heavens. If this is NOT a corrupt act, then Mailon Tunda will be the first Black Pope!!!
@Kaleni
Let’s not forget that this is a state witness who is on record as saying all he wants is oil contracts and apart from his words, there is no documentary evidence of that money coming into Zambia or (not certain) him withdrawing it anywhere in the world. The fact that it is his word alone should mean we cannot as yet condemn RB or draw conclusions that RB was indeed in bed with this guy. The evidence so far simply exposes the PF and people should rightly condemn them for wasting tax payers money on frivolous cases and sending the DPP, an assistant, and Kachingwe to Nigeria to collude with this guy in attempting to “fix” RB and give credit to the screaming headlines in the Post ever since RB’s administration demanded they pay back what is due to Zambians.
@Keleni, It is like you asking why sata gave Mugabe maize or the malawians millions of litres of fuel when many Zambians are still poor and starving? And why has no one pursued sata for the dollars he got from Taiwan?
Lomba ablution ka ni abuzi ya osoliti ili kuni apa? nakonshako tyala!!
Paliye namu landu apa ni nkanza tiala
wapya munzi waba pa mat2v.
This Naija is simply confusing himself with his statements, remember last time he said something else and now contradicting himself in trying to save RB. It is clear he is bluffing and soon or later he will be caught up in his on lies and that will implicate him and RB. Last time he came out strong claiming he paid the money in a Singapore or whatever account, does he really need to money in a foreign account to fund an election in Zambia? He also claims he passed through the immigration without filing the declaration form because he was not asked, does he need to wait for that or RB and his cronies had instructed he be allowed in the country without declaring anything, he is just building a cobweb for himself and RB!
@Observer
Please OBSERVE that this is a state witness who is supposed to be giving evidence against RB. So if (as you rightly say), he is likely to be lying then that means the Court will be less likely to believe him and therefore strengthening RB’s case.
If the prosecutors had charged RB with defilement sembe yasebenza iyo ablution of authority yakanga!
My guy, you have cracked my ribs!
Wina azalila no sebanyika apa!
Arrest the naija man for money laundering
Difficult to arrest the Nigerian Man because of the agreement he had with Mute-n Ball Cheat-all back in Nigeria – Promised immunity to testify against alabee.
Zambians, how you like defending corruption and crooked behaviour. It is becoming clear that tax payers money was involved in this scheme. How was RB going to pay back those colosul sums of money? Definitely our money was going to come in one way or the other. For how long are we going to allow individuals to rob our coffers in the name of being our president? Do we put them in those offices to start robbing us? Of course those who support such activities are either gullible or indeed stand to gain from those proceeds of crime.
We need a clean break from this.
@Praise be to God
Please also pray hard for wisdom. We do not defend corruption but we want to stand up for justice. You, like many Zambians, are gullible and fail to critically analyse statements or rhetoric from your favoured individuals and newspapers. The news we are reading is coming from the right place (Court of LAW) but you are also concluding your own nonsense. The Nigerian has said, RB did not ask (solicit) for this money so what makes you conclude that he was going to pay it back? There is no evidence given to the court that this money was withdrawn anywhere in the world or even came to Zambia. So what makes you believe that this guy is telling the truth n that RB received the money? Learn to critically analyse with an objective mind. So far it’s all witchunting to me.
Efron FIRED
the witness does not know what he is saying .if the government of Zambia bought oil from Nigeria ,who was suppose to pay the other?the government of Zambia was suppose to pay but should the Nigerian pay his excellency $260,000 ?for what?why requesting money from Nigerian when its the government of Zambia suppose to pay Nigeria?awe sure
Just at your noise why Tembo accept a car from Jelabos when police have plenty of vehicles. WHY DONATE TO CHURCH AFTER PEOPLE WERE BEATEN. WHY HIRE A PLAN TO TOUR ZAMBIA WITH LEVY BODY(CHASED IN CHIPTATA). WHY TAIWAN.
WHY WINTER CARRY THE WHOLE LOT OF CADRES TO A.C.C OUR OIL DEALS. GB KASAMA CHURCH MAN WITH HIS ZESCO POLE LINES ISSUE.
MOST OF THESE OLD FORKS HAVE ISSUES WITH ZAMBIAN PEOPLE
Dear readers,
Questions.
(1) How can a guest of the man of the highest office in the country enter with such sums of cash without making a declaration?
(2) Did the president receive the money without knowing that the man had not declared it.?
(3) Is this an ordinary donation without corruption since the man had solicited an oil contract ?
(4) What intergrity is in the president who receive cash in such a way?
(5) Could this be the reason why other party members did not know the source of MMD funding?
(6) If not declaring the money is not concealing then what is it?
There can only be one answer to all of your questions my dear Kavuyi which is…? POLICY COMES BEFORE MORALITY.
I think the headline is very misleading
COME ON, THIS MONEY WAS RECIEVED BY RB AT GOVT HOUSE IN FULL VIEW OF ALL THE MMD CAMPAIGN WOULD BE BENEFICIARIES.IT WASN’T PERSONAL CASH.REMEMBER THE CLOURFULL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH.THEREFORE RB NEVER SPENT A CENT IN HIS OWN CAPACITY.PERIOD.
That’s one good thing about RB he never wanted to use money from govt coffers to fund his campaigns.
‘This was after Banda requested for $1 million advance payment from the government to government oil deal’. Is this not soliciting? If it was govt to Govt why give his son $500,000. Couldnt the money been transferred from bank to bank. Govt to Govt funding shouldnt be used for party campaigns. The decision for judges is easy here
Is it that you can’t read or what? The $1m you refer to was requested in 2011 to which a $ 500,000 was paid but the money in question is the $260,000 which the Nigerian laundered into the country in 2008. This was not solicited for by RB but by the turncoat called Major Kachingwe. These are simple matters to follow, please don’t display your shallow mind here.
The way i see it, this case is going exactly like the Italiano prime ministers case, why? RB is 75 years old, can not be sent to jail, he will just be barnished from practicing active politics and be asked to pay what the government will wish to get from him.
Imwe…….if RB was a good President. A true father of the land. Responsible and a man of his word. Why didnt he donate to the poor? Why didnt he do something good for the people? For the sake of transparency, why not tell people you have received a personal donation and you are going to use that donation for election campaigns? Greed…..!!!! “I dont care what they say. Me and my kids are cool”
You mean like the way Ukwa told us about his two salary increments?
babwana…..sure you want him to stand and announce to the public elo imwe ninshi tamuchita announce nganwafola..? Be realistic mate….! That money did not belong to the government or the party but to him. Mwaumfwa.
Finally what we’ve suspected all along.RB is an innocent man caught in the web of vindictive PF malice machine out on a fishing expedition.
So the Nigerian smuggled into the country so much money which he handed to RB? If the deal was government to government why was the money not transferred from bank to bank. Did RB hand the money to the mmd as campaign funds? If the money was handed to the mmd was there any receipt issued? Since the Nigerian is said to have brought US$ which bank was used to change the currency into local Kwacha? The more Nigerian witnesses appear the more I feel, there was corruption involved. How does a Nigerian businessman give you a “gift” of $260 000.00 without expecting anything in return? We can all draw our own conclusion but to me RB has some explanations to make. RB should tell us all the other business men who donated generously to his campaign funds.
We should also be asking about the kick backs on the Trafigura oil deal. Who is benefitting from this expensive oil deal where instead of govt paying US$237,000 they have ended up paying US$500,000, who is paying the US$263,000 which is over and above the actual price? Why is fuel now more expensive than when PF came into power? You and me are paying this difference. Wina azalila. We are going to trace the money whether or not it is deposited overseas.
For me points raised by @ 20, @ 23, @ 25, @ 27, -MAKE THE MOST SENSE. If we begin to set this type of precedence, that campaign cash can be raised via dubious (Undeclared) methods, before long, presidential candidates will be lobbying cash from South American Drug barons, other unsavoury criminals, & before long your beloved country will turn into a DANGEROUS NARCO STATE. You the same bloggers supporting this, most who don’t reside in gated communities will start dying from the offshoots (Crossfire) of this heinous violence – ask Columbians & Mexicans. Always be careful what you wish for. This whole episode was NOT transparent. Please dont try & convince me otherwise. As we are all believers in democratic principles -” I hope so” I will stick to my opinion on this issue.
@ Keleni…His actions were certainly in bad test, probably even immoral, but not necessarily illegal as the law stands. You may wish to lobby for relevant legislation to guide the sourcing of campaign funds by political players.
Meant taste.
Well done GRZ for helping RB to clear his name
The issue is what the state said about removal of RB’s immunity and relate it to what the state witness is saying. It does not add up.The State is suppose to proof that RB used state money for personal issues and all other related things they brought up during the immunity debate.We were made to understand the evidence was water tight, it does not look so.
PIPO OPEN YO EARS AND EYES WIDE NOT FORGETING TO READ BTWEN THE LINES. RECEIVING THAT KIND OF MONEY WITHOUT DECLARATION AS HEAD OF STATE, QUESTION MARK. THAT WAS PROMOTION OF ILLEGAL ACTS. LETS WAIT AND SEE.
Josee
Where is the evidence that RB received this money or even that the money had made it into Zambia. Who says this Nigerian is telling the truth? who is he for us to believe a word he is saying? Why only speak now and what has he done about this money since 2011? All these remain unanswered questions and needing some tangible evidence for some of us to begin to doubt RB.
More Drama from the Courts today. Wait for updates.
Many are confused they cant understand how a state witness SEEMS to be speaking against the state. The issue is not that this guy is trying to betray the state but helping the state clarify the case to be slapped on the big man. Dont forget this is Nchito at work. To those who followed FJT cases clearly you will discover that there will a sharp turn that will leave the defense lawyers for RB pants down its like they have gone to their side exhausting their perceived arguments. Just watch eso a UNIP tinaziona kale Black mamba, zero opiton mwe mwebantu yayi tiyeninazo. Tekuzya Banda waona tetyo
Reading the various comments posted here by i guess comptant personalities its easy to deduse why as a country we are not heading anywhere.This country is truly made up of thieves.Its un believable that people can defend clear fraud just becausee they support someone.kaya!
@Everisto
We are standing for Justice based on evidence and not innuendo from the Post and supported by Wynter Kabimba. I shall wait for your comments on the “just breaking” update.
@its a Worry, I have a theory that more and more house pets like yourself are getting online when their masters are away from the house.
kabimba is always right. Napoleon is always right (G.Owel :Animal Farm) . All PF members are Sata worshippers! Whatever the decision by the court will be overlooked by Chibesakunda in a press statement declaring RB corrupt!
The case at hand is abt zambian gvt oil deal .and not the donations or how the cash entered the country is not an issue thou. Sata recieved donations from taiwanes and he was once caught in south Africa sneaking out with 30pin US dollars. Who took him to court? Milandu yopangiwa na ka wynter si milandu na futi.
So a sitting president accepted so much cash without even asking how, how the foreign currency had been brought into the country? If this was a gift and most Zambian are okay with it then there should be nothing wrong with me asking for a gift towards my building funds from all those applying for liquor licenses. As Zambian we should learn to support ideas and not personalities.
how many things were donated during KK
the unza
roads
hospitals
ANC houses
British property
farms
TBZ
etc
I have a theory that more and more house pets are getting online when their masters are away from the house. Especially pets like Ndobo, Maana, tribal blogger etc