Former President Rupiah Banda is this morning returning to the courtroom as his corruption trial commences.
Mr. Banda will appear before Chief Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda in a matter in which the former President is alleged to have been involved in an oil deal with Nigeria.
The state prosecutors led by DPP Mutembo Nchito will attempt to prove that Mr. Banda and his son Henry personally benefitted from the oil at the expense of the nation.
Mr. Banda is accused of stealing about $11 million through an oil contract with the Nigerian government and having that money routed to his son’s account.
He is also accused of using some of those funds for his failed re-election campaign.
Mr. Banda is represented by his lawyers, Sakwiba Sikota of Central Chambers, Prof Patrick Mvunga of Mvunga and Company, Erick Silwamba of Silwamba and company and Irene Kunda of George Kunda and Company.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Zambia says Mr. Banda’s upcoming trial sets an important precedent for Zambian government officials.
Mr. Lungu said he expects the court proceedings to be fair.
He said the Rupiah Banda trial is important in the fight against corruption as it projects that no one is above the rule of law in Zambia.
Mr. Lungu said it is only fair that leaders are held to account for all their actions as well as their omissions that they could have undertaken while holding public office.
“This trial is a very important trial because it projects that in terms of the rule of law, no one is above the rule of law in our country and that even himself, [President] Sata, if he perhaps ends up misconducting himself, the same thing might be able to apply to him. And we feel as Zambians that it’s only fair that our leaders are supposed to, at one time or another, be held to account for all their actions as well as their omissions that they could have undertaken while holding public office,” said Mr. Lungu.
But Mr. Lungu says the current administration is not above suspicion, either.
“We’d like Zambians to remain calm and let the due process of the law take its course,” said Mr. Lungu. “And we’d also like to send a caution to the current PF regime in Zambia that the same law that is being able to be used to apply to the former head of state might end up catching up with them if at all their conduct might not be above our board.”
I thought his lawyer who was representing him was Ajax Amsterdam? Where is he?
Pyeeeeeee….!!! Wapy munzi
where is Amsterdam Ajax on the list of lawyers?
let the same measure taken apply to all
fisanga abaume…..!
yaba..bazalambwaza ba nchito na malila..i doubt their evidence..
it has now become a trend in Zambian politics
Amsterdam was refused by PF goverment to enter in zambia?
Armstwist the international lawyer who support and benefits from corrupt heads. Come and defend this misuse, misapplication and misappropriation of national resources. You were and are a beneficiary from this loot. You have gone a long way belittling current leadership when the truth is your clients are currupt heads. Armstwist no wonder ther cased you in Asia. You benefit from corruption.
I have no confidence in this thief Nchito. How can a proven thief find case in the acused theif. Zambia has been auctioned to thieves & thugs, Ukwa & Company.
For Africa to devepe we need to get rid of such behaviors. this was total selfishness. this money can build roads, schools, etc. Instead he decided to use it for his compaign. the writtings were very clear that Ruphia could not have won those election.
Amsterdam is remote controling the four Zambian lawyers…….!!!! Just imagining how much money these lawyers will be paid by Banda!!!!!!!! Trully, there is no smoke without fire….!!!!!!!
@Kayombo, I guess it take thief to catch thief
Armsterdam, what do now say? Your clients have case to respond to. For all you said, for all you wrote just for legal fees to benefit from the loot. Here is one straight case of how your clients misapplied, misused and misappropriated govt money. And that what you want benefit from whilst throwing mud at current leadership. Legal representation can go crazy, really.
Icho, icho, icho one Zambia,one nation, one nation, one leader, one leaderrr give me a break! Chaipila galu kuluma mbuzi. I rest my case! This is the time you will know kaki no be leather.
He must have stolen a lot for him to be able to pay all these lawyers…or maybe Nyiombo is paying for his lawyers…
All those who ever had a chance to interface with Banda will tell you that the man was corrupt in a rotten and stinking manner. Just look at how he ducked and dived around the Levy Mwanawasa ban on genetically modified maize while incognito allowing his sons to start importing GMM into the country. Just like the release of Chiluba through prevailing over Chinyama, it was an evil, stupid, shameful act which was tantamount to a slap in the face of Zambians who died because Chiluba stole billions of their man to buy countless pairs of shoes, suits, bambas etc. I hope the goofy ugly ***** is convicted and rots in jail. The same fate should befall Zondwe if death does not get him first.
This is good for our democracy.
In fact govt must also bring a civil suit against Rupiah so that he brings back the $11Million plus..he looted.
Let this be a turning point, a lesson to all entrusted with public resources.
If Sata dips his fingers into people’s money the law must follow him too.
There must be NO sacred cows in the fight against corruption, thefts and its evil effects on our population.
I have no sympathy for Rupiah given the privileges that go with office of Republican President
THIS PUNK CALLED MUTEMBO NCHITO FAILED TO SEND FTJ TO JAIL CELL EVEN FOR A SINGLE MINUTE AND NOW TODAY HE WANTS TO LEAD THE PROSECUTION AGAIN……….HOW MUCH MULA DID HE POCKET AT TASK FORCE FOR NOTHING?
Tulefwaya Rotterdam not these others, so we can see if he is as loud as he appears to be when apatali, muletenikaili!
Leave him, don’t you feel sorry for his wife?, feel sorry for his children? Cant you feel sorry for his grandchildren and supporters?
As someone doing my PhD thesis and with an MBA , MSc, Bsc. ACCA , CIMA I think we are wasting our time
I have also just found out I am an FCCA without doing anything, another elevation on my continual pursuit for greatness
Thanks
frankly speaking we needed a strong and clean DPP…Mutembo is too weak to manage pro Muvunga, Erick Slwamba and Sakwiba Sikota…This will be like putting a grade 1 Mutembe vs a graduate..the state will spoil the case mark my words.
ON PRINCIPLE. NCHITO SHOULD DECLARE INTEREST IN THIS CASE.
THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING CASE. WE PRAY THAT GOD WILL MAKE SURE THAT JUSTICE PREVAILS. WE PRAY THAT THE POWERS OF DARKNESS WILL NOT MANIPULATE THE LOOP-HOLES IN OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO AQUIT THE WICKED. IF INDEED THE ACCUSED IS INNOCENT THAT TOO MAY THE LORD GOD OF JUSTICE MAKE CLEAR. WE PRAY THAT THIS CASE WILL NOT GO THE CHILUBA WAY. MAY THE CULPRIT BE BROUGHT TO BOOK SO THAT ALL MAY FEAR TO STEAL BUT HONOUR THEIR PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA. AMEN
Mushota, ifisela. iwe uluka fye nbwacha. No one knows what you talk about. I suspect you dream of having all those qualifications. Dream on dear.
With all honesty,can Mutembo Nchito have a straight face in court when prosecuting RB WHEN HE IS A CONVICTED FORGER and has cases in court for obtaining loans fraudulently.How do courts allow known criminals to be standing in their courts prosecuting other suspects?Furthermore Mutembo Nchito walked out of court leaving a judge bewildered.Is this the guy who must lead prosecution of RB?
Let him be jailed immediately!! That man is a thief,i can imagine what this country would have been today if he had pulled thru.
Let justice prevail, the people of Zambia have suffered a lot at the hands of these selfish and corrupt presidents since independence. RB must be accorded a fair trial and let him answer to these very serious charges.
Hope RB goes to chimokaila soon. glad that Amsterdam has not been allowed to set his foot on Zambian soil. this chi Amsterdam is not known even known in London or Europe, kAFUPI chiluba got away by death but this chi R.B should not get away with the loot.
Government might just lose and pay RB, i dont see Nchito and Malila winning against Sikota and mvunga, these are seasoned lawyers
How many cases has Mutembo won in his career? People lets be serious with our country!
Gabino the Zambian legal system jurisdictional as do all circuits as such Robert Amsterdam would have to sit for his bar exams @ Ziale and pass them before he can practice law here
Eric Silwamba is sharp, he has never lost any case; may be the one that I don’t know
It takes thief to catch a thief.. so Inchito is the right man for the job. I’m told RB is willing to spend 5% of $11m to get his freedom. Hence this assembly of the laywers. He did mention to South African embasy that if the legals cost escalate to 6%, he would prefer to go to jail and keep the cash…
Sikota has never won a serious case and Nchito will make him look like a novice in court.RB will lose this case and get jailed!!
hoo lets see how this goes.
I see the heros of the Zero Option and Black Mamba cases are getting together again. Prof Mvunga and Saki led those cases. I remember reading the verbatim in the Post Newspaper and how the duo made mince meat of the prosecution witnesses. The same will happen again. I hope the Post will carry verbatim reports.
Already with the facts that have emerged today,the case is heading for total collapse! Adjorned to friday,wrong charge sheet!
Keep us posted LT, this vile chap Ala Bee needs to be put away…
There you are Most have said it; most are against RB and he has been found guilty already so why bother going to trial to waste more resources and risk no conviction. The prospect of egg on our faces is very real prospect here just as it was with FTJ – died in peace with no conviction despite being labelled a thief! The cadre mentality has been the rotten apple in the political/public service barrel in this country from inception. Every Court jester wants or believes in entitlement for membership. These are not salaried/waged people so where does money come from? Do they support and make noise for free? Or is it an investment of time for future reward when their party enters government? Let’s grow up and address underlying chronic problems instead of plastering over the asymptoms…
And how long do you honstly think you would last in a private or commercial company/enterprise if you behaved in the accepted manner of government departmental administrators and workers? Be honest Say you worked for Stanbic would you turn up late daily, be out of the office whenever, be constantly afflicted with EXCUSITIS and expect no reprimand whatsoever?
BRIGHT DAY FOR ZAMBIA- LET IT BE THE BEGINNING LEADERSHIP SANITY IN ZAMBIA. THERE’S BEEN TOO MUCH MADNESS IN ZAMBIA WITH LEADERS JUST ON STEALING RAMPAGE. LET IT BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE WHOLE AFRICA, TOO.
RB definately diverted government money to his campaigns and the money trail must be as red blood on a murder scene.
The GJIT in this case have behaved very smart. It is better to get Rubbish Bin on 1 solid case than charge him with a myriad of cases and fail to consolidate evidence. I have a feeling Mutembo Nchito is counting on fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. This is going to be a serious court room tangle. The defense will be watching for any technical loophole to get Rubbish Bin off the hook. Just remember, Rubbish Bin and his lawyers are already employing this technique by going to court to challenge the legality of the removal of RBs’ immunity. This time around we truly need justice before Sata and gang go ballistic on us again.
GOOD DEBATE BETWEEN BANDANES AND SATANIANS. SUBORN ATE COURT!!!!! VERY EXCITING FACING FOUR LAWYERS. WHO ADMITTED TO THE BAR THE PRESIDING LORDSHIP AND NCHITO? I HOPE IS NOT AMONG THE FOUR.
NEXT COURT- HIGH COURT. NEXT SUPREME COURT. NEXT LONDON COURT WHY? THE LAWYER GOVT REFUSED ENTRY, WILL TAKE THE CASE TO LONDON……SURELY SEEMLY SOME WITNESS WILL BE DEAD.
TOTAL RECALL
PAUL TEMBO
NCHITO
RONALD PENZA
CHUNGU
KATELE
NAWAKWI
FTJ
KK
PIG MAN ETC….WE KNOW HOW TO PLAY CARDS
Finally, what seemed to be far fetched is now within our reach. RB in court. naumfwa bwino. Yaba, alekakwa nomba. Viva DPP, powerful DPP and very clean DPP.
My spirit, My Soul,is on its knees My will is willing to give up
My heart is unrecognizable, bludgened, bleeding, bruised and broken
Years of seaching…for What?
The thought of you was nice for while
The possibility pleasing
I told myself that you were the one who made my LAND to be flooding from EAST to WEST, SOUTH to NORTH.
The pain that I feel so deep inside,
The hurt, the shame, and all the lies.
People that I live with thought they would be the people that I love,
With the hate, the anger, the yelling, the teasing, and the madness.
The more that I cry, the more I think there is no love.
When I go to school they always talk about me,
When I come home that’s not where I want to be.
Sometimes I feel I don’t want to be in this world,
If someone shot me I wonder…