Trial has begun with one witness in a matter where former First Lady Esther Lungu is slapped with five counts of theft and possession of Four Hundred Thousand dollars suspected to be proceeds of crime.

In this case, Mrs. Lungu is jointly charged with police officers James Phiri and Lee Chisulo, respectively.

Others in the case includes Kapembwa Lungu and Catherine Banda.

Ms. Elizerbeth Phiri, a witness has testified that in August 2022 she was invited at the former Head of State’s house Edgar Lungu.Ms. Phiri told the court that when she reached, Mr. Lungu started explaining that he had a US $ 4000 which he gave his wife Esther Lungu to keep.

She said Mr.Lungu explained that when he requested the money from her, she said that she gave Catherine Banda ( Mr.Lungu’s niece ) to keep but when the said Ms. Banda was asked to return the money, she allegedly revealed that she gave US $ 3000 to Ms. Phiri.

Ms.Phiri said she refused to have received such amount of money from her ( Ms. Banda ) adding that she has never touched such an amount in her life.

“I only know Catherine Banda as my client who came to seek spiritual healing because I am an herbalist, hence I cannot receive such an amount from her,” Ms.Phiri said.

She told the court that Mr.Lungu said that he did not believe that his niece really gave her such an amount because it was not adding up.

Ms.Phiri testified that after Mr.Lungu had left, Mrs. Lungu remained behind asking for her name and phone number.

Mrs. Lungu, said the witness, later told the officers that she looked confused and should be taken home.

After she was taken home, the following day in the morning around 08 :00 hours, Ms.Phiri received a phone call from Mrs.Lungu asking her to go at her apartment in Ibex, and she asked her daughter, Phahana Patel to escort her.

She told the court that when she reached Ibex with her daughter, Ms Lungu told her that she wants her money which she still denied having received from Catherine Banda.

Ms.Phiri said that Ms.Lungu told her to just Trial has begun with one witness in a matter where former First Lady Esther Lungu is slapped with five counts of theft and possession of Four Hundred Thousand dollars suspected to be proceeds of crime.

In this case, Mrs. Lungu is jointly charged with police officers James Phiri and Lee Chisulo, respectively.

Others in the case includes Kapembwa Lungu and Catherine Banda.

Ms. Elizerbeth Phiri, a witness has testified that in August 2022 she was invited at the former Head of State’s house Edgar Lungu.

Ms. Phiri told the court that when she reached, Mr. Lungu started explaining that he had a US $ 4000 which he gave his wife Esther Lungu to keep.

She said Mr.Lungu explained that when he requested the money from her, she said that she gave Catherine Banda ( Mr.Lungu’s niece ) to keep but when the said Ms. Banda was asked to return the money, she allegedly revealed that she gave US $ 3000 to Ms. Phiri.

Ms.Phiri said she refused to have received such amount of money from her ( Ms. Banda ) adding that she has never touched such an amount in her life.

“I only know Catherine Banda as my client who came to seek spiritual healing because I am an herbalist, hence I cannot receive such an amount from her,” Ms.Phiri said.

She told the court that Mr.Lungu said that he did not believe that his niece really gave her such an amount because it was not adding up.

Ms.Phiri testified that after Mr.Lungu had left, Mrs. Lungu remained behind asking for her name and phone number.

Mrs. Lungu, said the witness, later told the officers that she looked confused and should be taken home.

After she was taken home, the following day in the morning around 08 :00 hours, Ms.Phiri received a phone call from Mrs.Lungu asking her to go at her apartment in Ibex, and she asked her daughter, Phahana Patel to escort her.

She told the court that when she reached Ibex with her daughter, Ms Lungu told her that she wants her money which she still denied having received from Catherine Banda.

Ms.Phiri said that Ms.Lungu told her to just agree that Banda gave her the money and asked her what she ( Phiri ) bought using her money.

She told the court that the things Ms. Banda mentioned were a House in Libala, Canter, Toyota Runix and Anex cars which she claims were bought using her own money.

Ms.Phiri said that she was being forced to agree to everything with the officers threatening her together with her daughter that they were going to face the wrath of the law.

She further told the court that Mrs Lungu started called James Phiri , who was the driver, Kapambwe Lungu and Lee Chisulo and told them to go with her and bring all the above mentioned items which were allegedly suspected to have been bought using Mrs. Lungu’s money.

Ms. Phiri said that she got on a vehicle with Mr. Kapambwe with a pistol pointed at her and the driver was Mr. Phiri and went to get the canter in Chalala and drove it up to Lewanika mall, and then later saw her daughter Phahana Patel with her two vehicles which they also got from her.

“Ms.Lungu got two vehicles Runx and Anex with their white books belonging to my daughter and a title deed of my house in Libala and my Canter,” Ms.Phiri told the court.

She told the court that after getting the properties from them, they were released at mid night and reached home somewhere around 01:00 hours.

Ms. Phiri told the court that she again received a call from Mrs. Lungu inviting them home and when she went there with her daughter, Mrs. Lungu started telling them that her money was a lot and she cannot just lose it like that and later left them at her apartment in Ibex.

Mrs. Lungu later came back around 01: 00 hours with her lawyer and two copies for them to sign, she told the court.

“I begged her that my sight is poor at night so I cannot see properly maybe if I can look at it tomorrow in the morning and I also told her that am not educated and I will appreciate if you can read and interpret for me so that I can understand but she refused,” Ms. Phiri said.

The court heard that after the officers threatened her together with her daughter , she ended up signing the copies in duress before she and her daughter were released around 01:00 hours.

Ms. Phiri testified that after she recovered from her trauma, she started asking for advice from people explaining what happened to her and that is how she was advised to go to police headquarters where she was counselled.

agree that Banda gave her the money and asked her what she ( Phiri ) bought using her money.

She told the court that the things Ms. Banda mentioned were a House in Libala, Canter, Toyota Runix and Anex cars which she claims were bought using her own money.

Ms.Phiri said that she was being forced to agree to everything with the officers threatening her together with her daughter that they were going to face the wrath of the law.

She further told the court that Mrs Lungu started called James Phiri , who was the driver, Kapambwe Lungu and Lee Chisulo and told them to go with her and bring all the above mentioned items which were allegedly suspected to have been bought using Mrs. Lungu’s money.

Ms. Phiri said that she got on a vehicle with Mr. Kapambwe with a pistol pointed at her and the driver was Mr. Phiri and went to get the canter in Chalala and drove it up to Lewanika mall, and then later saw her daughter Phahana Patel with her two vehicles which they also got from her.

“Ms.Lungu got two vehicles Runx and Anex with their white books belonging to my daughter and a title deed of my house in Libala and my Canter,” Ms.Phiri told the court.

She told the court that after getting the properties from them, they were released at mid night and reached home somewhere around 01:00 hours.

Ms. Phiri told the court that she again received a call from Mrs. Lungu inviting them home and when she went there with her daughter, Mrs. Lungu started telling them that her money was a lot and she cannot just lose it like that and later left them at her apartment in Ibex.

Mrs. Lungu later came back around 01: 00 hours with her lawyer and two copies for them to sign, she told the court.

“I begged her that my sight is poor at night so I cannot see properly maybe if I can look at it tomorrow in the morning and I also told her that am not educated and I will appreciate if you can read and interpret for me so that I can understand but she refused,” Ms. Phiri said.

The court heard that after the officers threatened her together with her daughter , she ended up signing the copies in duress before she and her daughter were released around 01:00 hours.

Ms. Phiri testified that after she recovered from her trauma, she started asking for advice from people explaining what happened to her and that is how she was advised to go to police headquarters where she was counselled.

By Bertie Jacobs

“When good governance is sacrificed on the altar of corruption, service delivery falters. Where corruption thrives, as we have seen in many of our municipalities, an increase in poverty becomes inevitable.”

This is according to Prof Kedibone Phago, Director of the North-West University (NWU) School for Government Studies, who explains that corruption is killing the country’s future.

Recent figures suggest that more than 18,2 million South Africans live in extreme poverty in 2023, an increase from the previous year. Projections show that this number will only increase, and corruption is at the heart of this dilemma.

“The essence of corruption is that it diverts resources from their intended use and instead resources are used to serve nefarious agendas. Resources are deliberately exploited to benefit certain individuals or groups rather than the intended beneficiaries. Often, the powerful are involved because it is easier to sweep such corrupt actions under the carpet. We have seen from many reports of the Auditor General and even during the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, also known as the Zondo Commission, that many of the people who enable corruption are in powerful positions, highly educated and sophisticated. This makes it even more difficult from a law enforcement perspective to prosecute. This is especially the case where our law enforcement agencies are deliberately weakened to ensure that their investigative capacity is crippled,” explains Prof Phago.

He goes on to say that: “The effects of corruption are usually devastating, especially to the integrity of governance processes and to the citizens who need public services to lead their lives with dignity. The examples are all around us where there is an annual budget allocation and the government makes a commitment to parliament about spending plans and priorities, without any meaningful implementation of those plans. Even in cases where the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statements are made, they remain a talk show and have no material benefit for citizens. The reality is that citizens in developing countries such as ours need quality services such as education, health, water and sanitation, an effective police force, roads and infrastructure and mobile connectivity, among others. When these basic services are not provided, the dignity of the people is directly affected, which can lead to populist politics.”

The NWU is committed to helping achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which entail the eradication of poverty, the promotion of well-being, access to clean water and sanitation, economic growth and the reduction of inequalities. Therefore, it is imperative to focus on the impact of corruption on communities and to identify ways to curb corruption. The establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) is a positive development for the country, which needs to be supported. This body was established on the recommendation of the Zondo Commission.

“Citizens have several options if they want to play a role in stopping corruption. For me, there are two main considerations. The first is the role of parliament in holding the executive authority to account, which remains an important avenue. Citizens need to use their relationship with public representatives in parliament to get involved in such matters. Second, citizens need to be organised, particularly through civil society and non-governmental organisations. When citizens are divided along ethnic, racial, class, language and other lines, they often become susceptible to populist politics. In fact, it is usually populist politicians who exploit these elements to maintain their relevance instead of genuinely exposing corruption and advocating for investment-friendly policies that could help develop the country,” says Prof Phago.

Corruption must be put to the sword if the country is to realise its potential, and it is through engaged, active citizenship that it can be dealt a fatal blow.