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.”

17 people were killed in Road Traffic Accidents countrywide during the Easter holiday.
Police Spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela said a total number of 203 road traffic accidents were recorded over the Easter holiday.

Lusaka was the hardest hit with 111 Road Traffic Accidents recorded where four people died.

Northern Province had the least number of accidents with only two recorded with no deaths.

And Ms. Kanjela said there was an increase in both the number of accidents and lives lost this year compared to last Easter Holiday when 112 accidents recorded with four lives lost.

She said the increase of accidents could be attributed to the increase in the number of vehicles on the road compared to last year.

“Also the fact that being holiday unlike any other days people turn to have time to drive around and also want to visit different places as they are not in offices,” she said.

She said, “Drinking and driving is another contributing factor as many people turn to drink too much.”

And in other cases, Ms. Kanjela said ten murder cases of murder of which two involved spouses were recorded.

She said the other five cases involved people that are related or friends while the other three cases were committed by unknown people and investigations are on.

Ms. Kanjela said two cases of defilement were reported and including one rape case during the Easter weekend.

She said close to 100 assault cases where reported country wide of which most of them are by known people.

“Once more we would want to urge people to try and dialogue by all means whenever there is a misunderstanding unlike resorting to physical violence,” she said.

President Michael Sata today swore in veteran politicians Daniel Mukombwe as Deputy Mininster for Southern Province. In a ceremony at State house,

the president also swore in Chilubi PF Member of Parliament Obius Chisala as Northern province Deputy Minister.

President Sata also swore in two Permanent Secretaries under cabinet office, Benard Kamphasa for Policy Analysis and Coordination Division and Ndashe Yumba for Management Development Division

And President Sata fumed following the delay to move the provincial capital of Southern province from Livingstone to Choma.

Mr Sata questioned why it has taken long to move the provincial capital when he issued the directive a long time ago.

The President hinted that politics of talking is long gone noting that it is time for delivering development.

The Head of State explained that Choma was more centrally located compared to Livingstone hence his decision to move the provincial capital.

Meanwhile, the President Sata has directed Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to undertake country-wide developmental tours of provinces and districts.

Mr Sata advised the deputy ministers and Permanent Secretaries to desist from sitting in offices but rather go in provinces and monitor government projects taking place there.

The Head of State wondered how Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries can acquaint themselves with the challenges that civil servants face in executing government work if they do not tour the country-side.

The President explained that the only way government officials will enhance development in provinces and districts is by touring various government projects taking place.
President Sata made the directive when he swore-in two provincial deputy ministers and two permanent secretaries.

Mr Sata said Zambia is where it is today because of the district commissioners who frequently toured government projects.

Mr Sata said the only way development is going to be expedited throughout the country is when Deputy Ministers and PSs play an active role of monitoring government projects.

The President questioned why Deputy Minister and PS were getting tax payer’s money when they don’t tour provinces and districts.

President Sata cautioned Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to refrain calling chiefs but to visit them and get their concerns on matters of national development.

He said the only way that traditional leaders are going to appreciate governmnet services is when they visit them during the monitoring of projects.

Mr Sata implored Vice President Dr Guy Scott to encourage Deputy Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to tour districts.

Supreme Court Judge Royda Kaoma has urged police officers to arrest anyone found indecently dressed to avoid escalating Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases.

Ms Justice Kaoma said indecent exposure was an offence under the Criminal Procedure Code and media houses publishing such pictures can be prosecuted.

She was speaking at the Catholic Women’s league luncheon at Ravens Club in Kitwe yesterday that the country was experiencing high levels of GBV due to indecent exposure some women in the manner they dressed.

Ms Justice Kaoma who is also Kitwe High Court Judge-in- charge said in response to a concern from one of the members of the public on what the police was doing about indecent dressing by some girls and women, that police should take up the role and arrest those found wanting.

[pullquote]Ms Justice Kaoma said indecent exposure was an offence under the Criminal Procedure Code and media houses publishing such pictures can be prosecuted.[/pullquote]

“Police officers should do something about indecent exposure and under the law there should be nothing like parents would plead for their children because just like manslaughter or murder cases, an offence is an offence.

Police should take up the role and arrest culprits, they should take even one example,” she said.

She said the media should also avoid publishing such pictures to avoid corrupting people’s minds because they could be prosecuted.

Ms Justice Kaoma said it was an offence for women to expose themselves in the manner they dressed.

And Kitwe East police chief inspector Anne Mazila urged the public to expose cases of abuse.

Ms Mazila said the forms of GBV included economical, sexual, psychological, physical and use of abusive language from both women and men.

She said it was important for married couples to dialogue and avoid any forms of GBV.

Ms Mazila said police officers where usually faced with a challenge where some parents would plead for their children once they are arrested over indecent exposure.

The Catholic women’s league yesterday organised a luncheon where a discussion on GBV cases was discussed.