Principal resident Magistrate Aridah Chulu has overruled an application by the state to have the case in which former Labour Minister Austin Liato is charged with receiving suspected stolen property adjourned to a later date in February, 2012.

The case relates to the K2.1 billion unearthed at Mr Liato’s farm buried in the ground in two steel trunks.

Mr. Liato was this morning supposed to appear for plea when the prosecution team submitted an application for adjournment of the matter to a later date next month in order to allow the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito time to determine whether the prosecution was in public interest.

But Principle Resident Magistrate Chulu dismissed the application on the basis that justice must prevail in the interest of all parties involved in the matter.

She said adjourning the case to February is too long a time especially that the court in its last sitting had agreed to deal with the matter today.

Magistrate Chulu further said Justice delayed is Justice denied and therefore ordered that the matter comes up on Wednesday, January 18 2012 for plea and commencement of trial.

She has since urged the prosecution team to get the necessary instructions from the DPP and be adequately prepared for trial.

And Mr. Liato’s bail has been extended.

QFM

THE report by the Commission of Inquiry into the sale of Zamtel has revealed more anomalies, including one in which an official from RP Capital Partners of Cayman Island, issued directives to high ranking senior Zambian Government officials and drafted ministerial and presidential speeches on matters surrounding the Zamtel deal.

The 112 paged report states that the committee tasked to probe the sale of Zamtel discovered numerous e-mail correspondence from a Peter Heilner, issuing directives to senior Government, Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and Zamtel officials.

“The committee has uncovered numerous email correspondence from RP Capital’s Peter Heilner issuing directives to high ranking and senior GRZ, ZDA and Zamtel officials, set timetables and tasks, drafted ministerial and even Presidential speeches and letters and orchestrated the deployment of personnel to strategic positions and departments,” the report reads.

The report states that it was clear from the outset that RP Capital,the transaction advisors in the Zamtel deal through Mr Heilner,single-handedly planned, managed, drove, controlled and executed the entire process.

The report says the Government, ZDA, Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), State House staff, Zamtel and many others were reduced to the role of mere spectators with little or no input and control over the process.

The report says that audited Zamtel accounts dated March 31, 2009 pegthe book value of the company’s fixed assets -that is only the property, plant and equipment at US$81 million (K412,072,000,000).

The report states that the $81 million is just a book value and not the market value of Zamtel’s fixed assets which would be expected to be considerably higher than that.

“The committee finds it difficult to understand how RP Capital advisors could arrive at a value of Zamtel’s fixed assets of $38million in the absence of conducting a thorough, detailed and professional valuation of Zamtel’s fixed assets,” the report reads.

The Government further decided to pay for the 25 per cent shareholding it already owned in Zamtel and paid a total $334,440,000 in what was termed as Tax shares and subscription amount while Lap Green only paid $257 million for the 75 per cent shareholding of which the Government was only entitled to $42.6 million translating to 16.6 per cent of the sale value.

The Government has to date only received a cash sum of $15 million and that RP Capital received more than $12.6 million based on 5 per cent of $257 million.

The report reveals that the Zesco optical fibre network assets valued at approximately $20 million was given free of charge to Zamtel.

Lap Green also took over Zamtel as a debt free company with $64million sitting in its bank account which was provided by the Zambian Government.

And giving examples of correspondence, Press releases and speeches prepared by RP Capital’s Mr Heilner for the Government, the report attached a letter drafted by him and signed by former president Rupiah Banda on November 9, 2009 to Chinese President, Hu Jintao, asking for a loan from the China Export and Import Bank.

In the draft letter, Mr Banda was asking his Chinese counterpart to assist the Zambian Government obtain $75,424,323 concessional loan from the $10 billion programme for infrastructure in developing countries to cover the amounts owed to Zamtel’s Chinese equipment suppliers, Huawei and ZTE for projects that the two companies were in the process of completing.

“I write to you to request your assistance in a matter that is of national importance to the Republic of Zambia. As you may be aware,the Government of the Republic of Zambia is currently in the process of privatising Zamtel which has severely under performed in recent history.

“This privatisation will revitalise the telecommunications sector in Zambia through increasing investment and will contribute substantially to the development of Zambia as whole,” read the letter drafted by Mr Heilner on behalf of former president Banda to President Hu.

The letter stated that the sale of Zamtel was of considerable urgency in order to ensure the success of the company and on-going development of Zambia.

“I would like to request your support in obtaining approval from the China Export and Import Bank in respect of Zambia’s application,” the ?letter read.

Another document drafted by Mr Heilner was a Press statement by the then minister of Communications and Transport, Geoffrey Lungwangwa, on the ICT sector in Zambia.

In the statement allegedly written for the minister by Mr Heilner,Professor Lungwangwa said that the government and the communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ), ZICTA, had set out two ways in which they intended to encourage the deployment and usage of ICT products and services in Zambia.

Prof Lungwangwa said the first was through careful management of the licensing regime and that CAZ intended to issue no additional fixed or mobile licenses for the foreseeable future.

He said the second was through pricing and that CAZ intended to use its powers as set out in the new ICT Act to intervene in the wholesale market that existed between telecommunications operators.

Mr Heilner is also alleged to have provided answers to parliamentary questions, Order number 760, where questions concerning how much money the Government ministries and departments owed Zamtel immediately prior to the acquisition by Lap GreeN and how Lap GreeN intended to recover the debt.

The other question was on the total value of Zamtel assets at the time of privatisation.
[Times of Zambia]

The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has announced that it has started receiving application forms from interested members wishing to contest the forth coming Msanzala parliamentary by-election.

Party secretary general, Wynter Kabimba says the successful applicant will be announced soon. He has called for unity among party members in Eastern province if the party is to come out victorious.

The Msanzala seat fell vacant following the resignation of independent area MP Colonel Joseph Lungu to join the PF. Colonel Lungu is reported to have applied to re-contest the seat on the PF ticket.

Last week

ECZ has set February 16th 2012 as the date for the by election.

MUVITV

Government has refuted claims by the opposition MMD that lack of clarity by the PF on its economic policy has raised uncertainty among potential investors.

Mines and mineral Development Minister Wilbur Simuusa has told QFM that under the PF government there has been overwhelming response from the potential foreign investors who have expressed interest in investing in Zambia especially in the mining industry.

Mr. Simuusa noted that the PF government would also ensure that it keeps on promoting foreign direct Investment in flow saying this greatly contributes to the growth of the economy.

And Mr. Simuusa has also told QFM that the ministry has intensified mine inspections to ensure that mining companies comply with the standard safety measures.

Mr. Simuusa noted that the ministry is committed to ensuring that the lives of the mine employees are safeguarded.

He has since warned mines that would be found breaking the safety regulations of stern penalty action.

Meanwhile, Chinese ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao says his office recently conducted a research on the Chinese owned mines to see whether they were complying with the safety measures.

Ambassador Zhou says the research reviewed that the Chinese owned mines with only account for about 5 percent of the mining activities in the country met the required standards of safety measures.

The envoy notes that what prompted him to carry a research was as a result of the negative reports that had spread concerning the Chinese investment in the country.

He however, added that he was aware of the few cases involving Chinese investors who could have abrogated the laws and added that the Chinese investors that will be found wanting should be prosecuted.

Ambassador Zhou was speaking to QFM news.

QFM

CRISIS released the unofficial video for his single “Hiroshima” off his  album B.I.G (Business is Good).

CRISIS is starting the year on a good note , releasing new music and videos , next month he will be attending the Grammy awards.

The song features Bryo and D- Roots .

HIROSHIMA

BY KAPA187

Veteran musician Anthony Maonde has died.Mr Maonde, 73 died, in a Road Traffic Accident in Monze area on Saturday afternoon. Mr Maonde and his sister Mrs Deliah Maonde-Kamoga died after
the vehicle in which they were travelling in over turned.The duo died shortly after the accident which hapenned between Chisekese and Mazabuka.. They were travelling from Chisekese area where they had gone to attend a funeral.

Mr Monde, was one of Zambia’s leading pianist, whose music career spans over 50 years has shared stage with great artistes such as African great pianist of the 60s,James Brown, Wilson Picket, Duke Harringtone,Huge Masekela,Mirrian Makeba,Dorothy Masuka and Champion Banda..He quit his job as a laboratory technician working for the mines on the Copperbelt to take up a full time music career in 1969 .He formed the Rokana Melodies in Kitwe in the 1960s.The Rokana Melodies later became the most popular band in Zambia.

[pullquote]The band’s flagship song Chomba Malaila still remains a hit today.[/pullquote]

In 1970 Mr. Maonde went to Livingstone where he teamed up with friends and formed the Los Comrados, which specialised in Zambian traditional music and jazz. The band’s flagship song Chomba Malaila still remains a hit today.

In 1979,he joined the The Broadway Quintet the country’s highest paying band based at Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka. Mr Maonde, who, was popularly known as BaTony in music circles, together with Broadway Quintet headed for Bostwana in 1990 where the performed live music at an exclusive night club called the Cameo, before relocating to The Seraton Hotel in Botswana.

In 1996, we went solo after parting with the Broadway Quitet and headed for South Africa, where as a solo pianist, he played live music in the Royal Pacific and Landmark hotels among other places in Bangkok.

He later teamed up with the Johannesburg based Africa Focus Band, which played music at the Sandton Conference Centre and various hotels in Rosebank area.As a solo artiste Mr Maonde used to be hired to perform music for the rich and famous at the Sandton Sun and Tower Intercontinental hotels.

When he returned to Zambia in 2003.He frequently use to put up live music shows at the Intercontinental Hotel lobby, at State House during state functions apart from putting up exclusive performances for Special guests for the State.

He is survived by eight children and 13 grandchildren..

President Sata’s description of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s letter to him as useless has been term as un-presidential behavior.

The UPND has said that it expected Mr. Sata to respond to Mr. Hichilema’s letter with the courtesy of the Republican presidency.

UPND Deputy Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa however said that the party will not relent in advising President Sata on national issues.

He has therefore advised President Sata to tone down on his language.

Recently President Sata told off United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema, describing the letter the opposition leader wrote inquiring why he was being accused of impropriety when he served as a liquidator during the privatisation of Lima Bank as ‘useless.’

The president said while he acknowledged receipt of a letter dated December 27, 2011 in relation to, among others, House Number F/488a/14/A/3 in Kabulonga which was alleged to have been procured from Lima Bank, he expected opposition leaders to discuss more serious matters affecting the nation.

“I acknowledge receipt of your useless letter dated December 27, 2011 on the above captioned matter. I expect more meaningful correspondence from leaders of political parties which will assist in solving the problems of this country,” The president said in his reply dated January 11, 2012.

President Sata said Mr Hichilema did not appear to understand the issues affecting the people having ascended to the helm of the opposition party without experiencing what it meant to be a cadre.

“Unfortunately, when we have people that have never been cadres who just ascend to the top from nowhere, they do not understand the problems facing this country apart from problems facing their pockets,” President Sata wrote.

President Michael Chilufya Sata has decided to publicize the Barotseland Agreement of 1964 to enable citizens understand and appreciate the contents therein. This is according to statement made available to the media by the President’s special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah.

“During the meeting with our colleagues, the representatives of the Linyungandambo, Barotse Freedom Movement and the Movement for the Restoration of Barotseland, we promised to avail this document to the public,” President Sata says.

“Therefore, as a government we have decided to publish the Barotseland Agreement in order for the Zambian people to read and comprehend the contents of this document. The publication of this document will also enable the general populace to have wider comments over the same.”

During a meeting with Barotse activists at State House last month, President Sata sought greater dialogue on the issue of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.

The President said there have been misunderstandings on the issue and promised to publish the document to dispel these misinterpretations.

The Head of State said only dialogue will save the country and its people. The President further said Government did not want to spill blood over the Barotseland Agreement, adding that he was not interested in engaging in a confrontation like the previous government did.

The President met 12 representatives of the Linyungandambo, Barotse Freedom Movement and the Movement for the Restoration of Barotseland.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba, Home Affairs Minister Kennedy Sakeni, Local Government, Housing, Early Education and Environmental Protection Minister Nkandu Luo and Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Inonge Wina.

Western Province permanent secretary Augustine Seyuba was also in attendance.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“The tongue has the power of life and death…”
(Proverbs 18:21, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
God has given us amazing power through the use of our words. God created the world with the words He spoke, and we also have creative power with the words that we speak.

Maybe you aren’t where you want to be in life today. Could it be because of the words you’ve spoken in your past? Have you spoken words of death by saying things like, “I’ll never rise any higher; I’ve gone as far as I can go?” Or maybe you’ve said, “I’ll never break this addiction. I’ve had it too long; it’s too hard.” Now, you are eating the fruit of those words — you’re still in the same place.

If you are ready to change your situation, then it’s time to change what you say about your situation. If you want a different harvest, you have to change the seeds you are sowing. Today, choose to speak life over your future. Let your attitude be, “This may be the way it’s been in the past, but this is not the way it’s staying. I’m coming up higher. I may feel weak, but my declaration is that I am strong.” Speak life, choose life, and move forward in His victory and blessing.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, I repent for speaking words of death and sowing defeat in my own life. I ask that You uproot any negative crop from the past and help me speak words of faith so that I can walk in victory in every area of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen