Housing and Infrastructure Minister Ronald Chitotela and three others have appeared in court for the offence of concealing property suspected to be proceeds of crime. The suspects could however not take plea because one of the accused persons Bruth Holding Limited was not before court.
The four accused persons are Ronald Chitotela, Bruth Holding Limited, Gregory Chibanga and Diris Mukange.
In the first count it is alleged that whilst acting together, the four did conceal lot number 148 of farm 50A and disguised it in the name of Diris Mukange.
In count two, the four are accused of concealing the remaining extent of subdivision lot 22183 in Lusaka’s Ibex Hill which was also disguised in the name of Mukange.
When the matter came up, defence lawyer James Matariro informed the court that the notice to bring the third accused person to court came late yesterday. The defence later made an application for the court to stop irresponsible reporting of the case.
Defence lawyer Jonas Zimba said calls to suspend Chitotela from office when he has not been found guilty are making him look as if he has been found guilty already. He said the media should not be allowed to report in a manner that will prejudice the accused persons.
And in response the state said the media should be allowed to cover as long as they are responsible. And in passing ruling, Lusaka Magistrate David Simusamba said he will only allow factual reporting of court proceedings.
Magistrate Simusamba said he will not hesitate to cite for contempt those that will be irresponsible in their reporting. He said it is not the work of the media to determine whether the suspects will be jailed or not.
The matter has since been adjourned to February 19th for plea.
Chitotela should be suspended. This is all we are asking from the president
It’s Simusamba handling the case?
Trust me, this case is not going anywhere. This chap is a PF carder.
The outcome is predictable.
Already appealed to Constitution Court????
Why ask Simusamba to decide if a minister should resign or not? Is it an election petition.
Wait a minute guyz, Who was the judge??
These money case is going to Simusamba. what daaaf!!!?
CHITOTELA MUST GO CHITOTELA MUST GO CHITOTELA MUST GO CHITOTELA MUST GO CHITOTELA MUST GO. Ayopa chani? CHITOTELA MUST GO CHITOTELA MUST GO no need to seek courts sympathy CHITOTELA MUST GO CHITOTELA MUST GO. President Lungu show leadership and prove you do not shield the corrupt CHITOTELA MUST GO.
Mr president some corrupt Ministers are not touched from Muchinga and other provinces why? CHITOTELA MUST GO.
I agree
The revered term”Honorable”should never be in the same sentence as the vile word”suspect”.The Honorable suspect Chitotela.
The President is WRONG.
He has set a very bad precedent.
He is even at variance with his own regulatory body, perhaps it explains why he has never been a very successful lawyer. His understanding of law and governance issues is akin to that of a Chawama shebeen queen.
How can the term honorable be used to describe a suspect? The term should be Disgrace Suspect. My worry in this case like the worries of many is the user friendly magistrate.
Suspension only to pave way for investigation without interference of the officer charged i.e. perceived or real interference in this case.
Step aside on moral grounds … that’s the only thing that makes sense since the appointing authority is abrogating his rights with a lame excuse.
The smart people of the Zambian Enterprise deserve better … thanks a trillion
because one of the accused persons Bruth Holding Limited was not before court.
Judges of Zambians court ate dull how do you defend a suspect.dont think we are dull like you playing a dirty game that case is not going anywhere
It is the law. Chitotela might be guilty, but the court of public opinion is lousy, especially in Zambia. This crook of a minister has to be tried by the courts not the media.
This lawyer is very ignorant. Which school taught him being suspended means one is guilty? He needs to be re-schooled to know that suspension means allowing the process to take its course without any undue influence by virtue of the accused having access to documents which would be key to acquitting or convicting him or her. Yaba! This level to comprehend is really a challenge in this country. Poor reading and understanding culture.
Ba Chitotela nensula iyo. Atase mukwai
When we say lungu is a corrupt theif that has corrupted the whole judiciary , this is what we mean…..this case is not going anywhere….
To CK , don’t think because lungu is making overtures to befriend you, things are ok……you will eat a poisoned apple with lungu……do not associate yourself with him…..he will try to take down to jsil with him as many people as possible…
Already hiccups at the beginning of the case means this case is going nowhere. Both the proscecuti prosecution and defence will connive to see this charges are dismissed.
So Chitotela will be getting his FULL pay even for days he will be defending his corruption in court? It’s now impossible to defend this clown in state house. The trouble is Hakainde is worse. We are in shot as a country
I agree that the President must suspend Honourable Suspect Chitotela, it is the only way and it is civilised behaviour. This is a no brainer Your Excellency.
If the President does not act as advised, people will be justified to conclude that he has an interest in the matter. Even from the logistics point of view, the honourable suspect will spend a lot of time not only appearing court but thinking heavily about how to defend himself and even how to use government machinery to wriggle out of it. What time does he work? Or concentrate on his work? Do you think that he wants to choose to go to jail? No Mr President.
In fact having explained the above situation to the President, I now DIRECT him to suspend the Honourable Suspect Minister.
…by 17.00hrs tomorrow.
Lungus GRZ is the most immoral , corrupt dirty GRZ that will ever rule Zambia……
The arrest of chimesa was all a scam….we knew that , but what we did not know was the extent of rot and corruption that the lungu GRZ is immersed in……
Check this…..chita lodge is now sueing GRZ for wrongfully confiscation of the properties on twin plam road. We knew that property belonged to chita lodge..we have now found out that this was all a scam to enable chita lodge to sue GRZ for $10s million.
How can a whole GRZ fail to know that that property belongs to chita lodge , when we, in diaspora knew ???
These calls for suspension of Chitotela is Mob rule. A frequent occurrence in Zambia these days.
KBF has advised them that even their own PF constitution calls for the suspension of Chitotela. What does this suspect know so much or do that he can’t be touched.
Is he driven in his ministers car to court?
What about time wasted in court?
For how long will this case take ?
Is it this way done in other countries?
Now my question is suppose thise institution like dec,acc,op.and other have been infiltrated by the opposition to weaken the govnment using the law.they know chitotela has the influence in luapula.next will be chitalu chilufya ,and kampyongo.then they know that its a must HH will easily win 2021.ba PF open your eyes before tamulaisanga mulimwamoneni.
How can they start probing chototela for the house they said he bought wen he was not even a minister?.this smell a rat to me.
From 2015 to 2018?????????
If chitotela goes mark my word ,upnd in particular will be celebrating .theire victory in 2021 is for sure.