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Ex-Minister Kenneth Konga testifies in RB case(updated)

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File: Former Energy Minister Kenneth Konga

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File: Former Energy Minister Kenneth Konga
File: Former Energy Minister Kenneth Konga

Former Energy Minister Kenneth Konga has testified in a case former President Rupiah Banda is facing corruption charges involving a Nigerian oil deal.

Testifying before Magistrate Joshua Banda this morning, Mr. Konga told the court that he did accompany Mr. Banda, in his then capacity as Energy Minister, on an official visit to Nigeria when the Oil deal was being initiated.

Mr. Konga of House No. 50 E Sable Road in Kabulonga, Lusaka, has told the court that while in Nigeria Mr. Banda and the then President of Nigeria Umaru Yar’Adua did hold a meeting where Mr. Banda requested that Nigeria supplies Zambia with Oil.

He narrated to the court that the request for Nigeria to start supplying oil to Zambia was done in good faith as at the time Zambia was in dire need of fuel supply to smoothly run the government operations.

Mr. Konga testified that after the meeting of the two heads of state, he was instructed by President Banda to write to the Nigerian Minister of Petroleum as follow-up in implementing what was discussed by the two heads of state.

He has told the Court that upon realizing that it had taken longer than he expected for the Nigerian government to respond, he asked President Banda to allow then Zambian Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Kachingwe to take over the negotiations on behalf of the Zambia government.

Mr. Konga disclosed to the court that from the time Mr. Banda allowed Major Kachingwe to take over the negotiations, he had not heard any development concerning the request of the Oil deal not until after one year when he had gone back to Nigeria for a private business visit.

Mr. Konga says in his second visit to Nigeria after one year, he had learnt that there was still no response from the Nigeria government over Zambia’s request but that some Nigerians led by Mr. Akpan Ekpene whom Major Kachingwe had found were willing to assist Zambia to get a prompt response from the Nigerian government over the request to start supplying Oil to Zambia.

Mr. Konga says he then informed then President Banda who agreed to that the Nigerian man Mr. Ekpene formally begins speaking on behalf of the Zambia government to quicken the process of getting a response from the Nigerian government.

The former Minister further told the court that after Mr. Ekpene took over the negotiations, he did not hear any further development about the request not until Major Kachingwe disclosed to him at the MMD convention that was held in Kabwe that the Nigerian government had agreed to the request of supplying Zambia with Oil.

Mr. Konga was being led in examination in-chief by the prosecution team led by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mutembo Nchito.

The matter has been adjourned to October 21st this year for continued trial.

Magistrate Banda has also set September 16th as date for mention.

editor
editorhttp://www.lusakatimes.com

93 COMMENTS

  1. Good am waiting for more data before making an informed comment.I liked the part of that Nigerian man who cried though.I just hope those were genuine tears.

    • There is no smoke without fire, Rupiah is guilty
      Only naive little boys and girls (mentally) think otherwise

      Jail the sugar daddy

      Thanks

    • This case was slightly gaining traction once kachingwe took the stand and crushed landed on akpene cross-examination.
      The witnesses 3 and 4 and state officials like Kaonga who will provide formal evidence that is non damaging to RB.

      Be assured supporters of democracy that this is a cash cow exercise and not a fight against corruption.

    • Minister of Energy and Water Development Kenneth Konga said the crude oil would be pumped in good time for resumption of operations at Indeni refinery, which would be shut down on September 13 to October 2008 for annual maintenance “The next shipment has already been ordered to arrive during the first week of October this year and the shipment will come in time for the resumption of refinery operations,” Mr Konga said.
      Mr Konga said Government would also shorten the interval between shipments to ensure that fuel supply on the local market was not interrupted during the period that Indeni would be shut down for annual maintenance.

      LITASCO obviously was doing payments to influency the outcome of a tender. Tendersinfo.com reports that ” … energy minister Kenneth Konga, availed the…

    • LITASCO obviously was doing payments to influency the outcome of a tender. Tendersinfo.com reports that ” … energy minister Kenneth Konga, availed the original tender document for crude oil to LITASCO official Leon Hayward so that the firm could suggest some changes to the document in favour of the firm and disadvantage competitors.”.

      Here we have another case of dark and illegal business practices shown by LITASCO – a daughter company of russian LUKOIL.

      The tendersinfo.com website addresses this in their article about LITASCO published here.

      Obviously THe energy minister Kenneth Konga achieved changes in the tender document – after negotiations with Mr. Leon Hayward (LITASCO). The Tendersinfo.com reports that “A comparison between the original tender document and the revised one…

    • Hey Notradamus, your adviser Notraidle thinks your blog addiction has gone beyond the limit. You blog, blog., blog, and blog, in the morning, in the day, and in the night. You blog everywhere without reading and understanding the story. You need to examine yourself and perhaps take a break for a month or so and concetrate on your family. Give up that wornout laptop. It is like tobacco. Get help. See a doctor. There is more advice on Ruwe’s article. Read it.

    • Saulosi,always suspicious of the unknown.It’s really a virus to be a Cadre all the time.Sometimes it’s better to be sober minded and be analytical and balanced.This support even for wrong things,won’t take Zambia forward.For instance,those who really love Sata,should spare him from loading him wih too much work,when the ‘Action man’ is sick.He has even missed the SADC Head of States meeting.

  2. this case is a flop on the part of the prosecution. mutembo nchito should swallow his pride and concede defeat by withdrawing it from the court

    • As a lawyer this is the first DPP i have seen prosecuting a case in the Subordinate Court.We have very efficient lawyers in his chambers who should be handling these petty matters but it appears he is so bent on revenge that he wants to handle the matter himself.Without doubt he has not learnt anything from what he went thru.On proffessional grounds Mutembo should not be prosecuting this case especially that he clearly has a bone to grind against RB.

    • IT’s POPCORN. NEVER POPCORNS. PLEEEEEASE!

      IT’s POPCORN. NEVER POPCORNS. PLEEEEEASE!

      IT’s POPCORN. NEVER POPCORNS. PLEEEEEASE!

  3. If this is all Konga said, it is very straight evidence which does not reveal any illegality at all. If I were the kawyer represnting RB, I wouldnt even bother cross – examining Konga. His evidence has been of no value to the Prosecution. If anything, it helps the defence. Thank you very muchHonorable for speaking the truth. I am sure Mtembo wanted you to lie and implicate RB.

  4. so far nothing has come up only exposing the fool DPP and another fool in state house.they are just wasting time and money on the project they know they can not win .second what benefit are we getting from this.we need sound economy not this nonsense the are giving us.

    • I have stood for justice in relation to the allegations against RB and the MMD since Sata went quiet over his screaming and “alarming” headlines over RB and the scanners at Nakonde border. From what has transpired in this case we can begin to see the vendetta against RB. This persecution is nothing other than M’membe and Nchito trying to teach RB a lesson while using Sata, Kabimba and all state resources. Sane people can see this while M’membe LOYALISTS and the gullible want continue to believe that RB’s MMD stinks of corruption. He may have stolen but we do not know what he stole so let’s be fair to him not cast stones at him until we have compelling evidence of his wrongs. What’s is clear is that the POST is lead by a lair and should now be exposed as a “DISCREDITED…

  6. I didn’t read any part that is against Rb as claimed by your heading,all what the ex minister said was a normal procedure and were he ended.the issue here is did the Zambian govt lose any money?so far it appears as if the Zambian gov’t didn’t lose any.
    The state witnesses seems to be framed.anyway lets wait and see as the case unfolds.

  8. We wait and we have heard the same stories gain and gain. Next we call the dead president of Nigeria. The naija was collect since he was also an agent and he could recovery his money from Nigeria as he paid the money in Nigeria.

  10. More drama in the courts today, i just read somewhere that one Nigerian big shot was mourning for the loss of his hard earned monie, I go buyu a goochaini, ( i will buy you a gold chain) Dont play with Nigerians Nchito and the others i hope you are taking notes, RB ubomba mwibala alyamwibala!

  11. How credible is this witness really? This is a known thief with cases in court. Didn’t he just have BP during one of his cases. Now today he is ok to help the State in testifying against RB.?

    I smell a Big rotten RAT. Why is the prosecution using people like him who we all know is facing corruption charges for the money he used to build his Hotel in Lusaka. This whole thing stinkls to core. It is clear that Konga wants to be in good books with Nchito and I wouldn’t be surprised if the state enters no Prosequi on his cases. This whole things is just shambles and a drain on tax payers money while thieves cut back door deals to continue enjoying their loot. What a shame!!!

  12. KONGA boza,how possible was it for late Nigerian president to work because this man was sick and the one who carried out duties was his vice GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

  13. @ Bwalya chiselema

    BA BWALYA BUSHE MULI CHIPUPA? TA MULEUMFWA ICHI SUNGU?

    THAT IS HOW NAIJAS AND THEIR MINISTERS DO THEIR BUSINESS…

    THEY DELIBERATELY THROW IN ROAD BLOCKS (DELAYS) TO CONFUSE YOU SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK MORE DESPERATE….

    MEANWHILE THEY INTRODUCE A 4TH SUBSTITUTE IN THE FIELD OF PLAY..

    HOW CAN WHAT STARTED AS A GRZ/GRN DEAL NOW IS AN RB/MAFIA DEAL?

    DON’T YOU KNOW US, NAIJAS?

  15. Is it English that I do not understand or the write just wanted to mislead. I can’t see anywhere where this former minister testified against RB!

    • You are right. I was also asking myself as to what the relevance of this testimony is? just like the testimony of the weeping naija, Kongas testimony just goes to exonerate RB.

    • I guess he is said to have testified against RB because he was brought in by the prosecutors, in this case DPP, as their witness number 3 after Kachingwe and Ekpene in the hope that his (Konga) pending cases will be dropped. But the way things are going he did not implicate RB in any way so DPP must start asking himself whether or not the witnesses he has brought are building a strong case against RB. Remember Kachingwe also kept changing statements and later told the court that he was testifying against RB because RB caused the loss of power to PF.

  16. kabimba lied in parliament by moving a motion removing RB ‘s immunities based on unsubstantiated oil transaction. Shame ba Pf for your hatred against Banda. Give Rupiah his passport. VIVA MMD VIVA UPND.2016

  17. Lyashi lyakwakaleya.the all deal is a floop and why keep on going kuma court waisting tax payer’s money.PF we voted you in that office to work not ukulafumya immunity yamunenu nefishinka tamukwete.

  19. What did Konga testify against RB? Are you telling me that RB’s case is trying to make an oil deal with the Nigerian Govt on behalf of the Zambian Govt, which did not workout? What am I missing? Ba PF you are wasting you time, you would by now be building toilets in kanyama compound and people would have been happier with you than this nonsense.

    • Spot on; let this government build houses in Kanyama, Chibolya, John Laing etc, provide free and quality education, give workers and Kaponyas more money, eliminate traffic police corruption,build quality medical facilities and deliver class A health services. Then the poor peoples vote will not have been wasted. True story.

  20. Further proof that Winter has never won a case in court! Can he change his fortunes now that he has power to manupulate things? he and his old & sick bay confined uncle cooked up this case and its falling apart in their eyes. PF will amount to nothing. They are a failure Govt from the start. i await 2016. only rigging will save them

  23. The headline of this story is very misleading. I was in court. though Konga was a state witness, he testified in favour of Rupiah Banda.

    • If name calling got anybody some votes, some well known party would have there President in state house a long time ago!!!

  25. Why is Lawyer Armsterdam not representing RB in court as lawyers do? Or is he waiting to publish another silly accusation on the internet?

    • Because your bufi govt will not give him a visa like they refused to do when he wanted to enter the country in relation to Henry Banda’s alleged corruption which your Ukwa government lamentably failed to pursue.

  26. Ok. This case is now water under the bridge. Perhaps we’ll do better on the judicial review relating to barred 3 parliamentary candidates! Ala bane, mulebako lenient and patient when your well meaning colleagues are trying to correct things in the nation.

  27. The question is how does a president make such a deal without the involvement of the energy minister and permanent secretary in the first place? The whole deal is stinking corrupt and the prosecutors are just wasting time on RB, everyone who reads can see how flawed the whole process was handled and RB should simply be locked up. It is sad that the president can even go to such extents of involving himself in such deals! Has anyone ever heard the president of US in just Jacob Zuma being involved in the procurement of such resources? Do our presidents even know their job descriptions? No wonder they are always caught in such messes, presidents should leave the work to delegated ministries and govt departments to do their jobs period!

    • That is what Konga says President Banda did; RB requested Konga to follow up and finalist the matter. Are you not able to read?

    • Where there any tender processes and documents to show transparency? Maybe RB’steam will show that at a later stage.

    • you seem to luck intelligence. Very shallow so nothing seems worth being in court. He delegated to Konga to follow up what other Minister are you saying sorry even you r children know you are dull on this one

    • tHE JACKA L YOU ARE DULL, THE GUY WAS IN nIGERIA WITH THE mINISTER AND CLEARLY HE GAVE INSTRCUTIONS FOR THE mINISTER TO FOLLOW UP , I I KNOW THE MINISTER COULD NOT HAVE EXCUTED THE DEAL WITH OUT THE PS.

      DUMB A#$@$

  28. Ba LT U are a dissapointment how can u put such a headline when story is no where near to be against RB, are PF mouth piece also? this case is not going anywhere infact in countries where there rule of law KABIMBA CHIPUBA would been in jail for cheating Parliament that govt of ZAMBIA lost 2.5million dorrars which not true I remember when Hon. Luo was debating removing RB immunity she said RB stole the money which was met for drugs in hospitals that is why there shortage of ARVs in the country, such hate debate against which total lies by KABIMBA, now today we are told no money ZAMBIA lost on the deal this is not fair. KABIMBA should resign for cheating in Parliament and Speaker MATIBINI he should more shamed now that he allowed a debate which was to ambush the opposition and RB

  29. Yaba…Nchito is busy trying to fish in a dry pond.There in nothing konga has said implicating Rb to corruption.I think these guys are so blinded by hate for Rb that they cant reason properly.So far indications are that this case is going nowhere!

  31. It does not sound as though Konga testified aganist RB, unless i am missing something here.From what konga said is there anything that seems to incriminate RB? And if Konga testified aganist RB, why should the court defer the same to october 21st?

    • iMWE NAIMWE PLEASE …. WHERE DOES IT SAY RB CANNOT BE TRUSTED… PF HAVE JUS GOT THIS ONE WRONG …WASTING TAX PAYERS MONEY REMOVING THE GUYS IMMUNITY , AND REVOKING HIS PASSPORT FOR WHAT ….

      I LIKE THAT KAIMBA HAS NEVER WON A CASE … AND THIS IS SHOWS HOW INCOMOPETENT HE HIS …

      look for me and arrest me … WINTER KABIMBA IS STUPID
      Yeah i said it… Stupid

  35. Ba Kachingwe payela. So he is the one who initiated contact with the Nigerian businessmen and turned into Judas Iscariot.

  36. Two hostile witnesses in a role. Ba Mutembo has egg all over his face. Knowing that you will be ashamed to face an acquittal just enter a nolle to save face.

  39. Konga has not testified against RB. He has simply put it the way it was. The deal was in the best interest of Zambia. Konga has not confirmed the lies Wynter gave in his ERB CoI Report and to Parliament. Konga’s statement is consistent with the weeping witness’s testimony. RB did not steal from GRZ re oil contract.

    Read the testimony. Lusakatime’s headline is inconsistent with Konga’s testimony. Konga’s testimony exonerates the former head of state. It’s final: RB is innocent. All three state witness are consistent.

    RB should sue Wynter and Mutembo in their individual capacity..they should not get away with it.

    Wynter should meet all the costs of the case..to GRZ and defense lawyers. Wynter deliberately misled the state and an ill-trained DPP danced to his tune.

    • Mr. Konga says he then informed then President Banda who agreed to that the Nigerian man Mr. Ekpene formally begins speaking on behalf of the Zambia government to quicken the process of getting a response from the Nigerian government.

      The former Minister further told the court that after Mr. Ekpene took over the negotiations, he did not hear any further development about the request not until Major Kachingwe disclosed to him at the MMD convention that was held in Kabwe that the Nigerian government had agreed to the request of supplying Zambia with Oil.

  42. Kenneth Konga it will be at your own peril to give false information against your former boss. PF will just use you and the defence team will grill you and if it will be discovered that you are lying then even the little confidence that people of Zambia had in you will be blown off into thin air. I remember you very well how intelligent you were at St Francis high School, Malole together with your friend Charles Malama. You and Charles Malama were the most brilliant guys Zambia has ever produced who passed Cambridge exams with flying colours. You are the guys who made KK send his children to the same school after seeing that you were the best students who scored high marks in the whole of Zambia. You are being watched by brothers of sacred heart of St Francis high School, Malole, Kasama.

  43. You were dealing Russians. Konga was the one in charge, hence benefited in purchase of hammer and those houses

  44. This whole Witch hunt will haunt Fred M’membe to his grave!!! So Far the information given to the court by the so called state witnesses shows how innocent RB is in this whole thing. Konga has not mentioned anything that would show that RB benefited from this Oil deal.

  45. Psalm 7:15 KJV
    King James Version
    He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made .

    Kachingwe

  46. We kno you,you’re protecting your fellow thief RB,pliz mutembo chito cage ths old man or else we are going to involve the chief commader of the armed force as a judge.

  47. Like i always say, am observing and trying to understand the leads in this matter. i read between lines & understand the Gist in konga`s testimony and i think someone will cry in the end.

  48. Everything said by a state witness or a defence witness during his/her evidence in-chief is biding and on record, because that is exactly what his/her conscience informs the court which is lawfully trying the matter before it. Whatever the above state witness has tendered on this day of 14 of August, 2013 at Lusaka Magistrate Court has vindicated the accused in the above matter in which the state v Mr Banda. A witness is not permitted to alter his evidence in-chief completely or in part so as to sugar coat the state evidence or that of the defence team. Should it occur that the witness realises the implications of his/her earlier part of the testmony and changes it, which results in advantaging the state, then the witness can/will be charged with perjury and further additional charges.

  51. Mr. Konga says he then informed then President Banda who agreed to that the Nigerian man Mr. Ekpene formally begins speaking on behalf of the Zambia government to quicken the process of getting a response from the Nigerian government.

    The former Minister further told the court that after Mr. Ekpene took over the negotiations, he did not hear any further development about the request not until Major Kachingwe disclosed to him at the MMD convention that was held in Kabwe that the Nigerian government had agreed to the request of supplying Zambia with Oil.

    • If that is the case then it confirms the stupid.ity and dullness of the fat lawyer with a penchant for forging documents and refusing to pay back nkongole in using Konga as a state witness dont you think or is it just a simple case of not having any evidence ie RB is innocent?

  55. Why do Zambians enjoy to see others suffering?
    Our politics are a mirror reflection of our society!
    Even our Christian claims are questionable!
    We risk incurring a curse for misrepresenting Christ!

    You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. (Matthew 5:43-45 AMP)

    But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my…

  56. The worsening political climate propagated by a clique of rogue lawyers in PF system prompts us to give a timely advice, particularly to Mutembo Nchito, Mmembe, Lombe Chibesakunda, Mumba Malila, Kabimba, Patrick Matibini etc to commence exploring for a safe country where they will migrate to for their life-long exile. By that time their boss will be enjoying a second ‘life’ away from Planet Earth.

    The countries likely to accept these ill-minded men and women for granting of refugee status must also take into account that they will never have any trade links in the new Zambia after 2016. Zambia has assumed a climate that prevailed under Adolf Hitler.

  58. Amsterdam must be laffing at our DPP. THE WHOLE WORLD TOO. I KNOW SOMEBIDY IS READING THIS ON BEHALF OF WINTER KABIMBA AND MTEMBO , PLEASE ADVISE THE PRESIDENT THAT THESE GUYS ARE NOT WORTH THEIR SALT . THEY ARE DULL AND STUPID

  59. Infact RB for president 2014. HH Vice president. Dora for Education/Information , never Mumba Foreign Affairs. Miyanda for Home affairs…

  60. As much as I dont like mmd the truth is banda is innocent of all this crap only a dull cadre would support this compound kaponya behaviour

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