Former Finance minister Katele Kalumba and three others have filed notices of appeal against the five-year jail terms slapped on each of them by a Lusaka magistrate’s court.

Kalumba, former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda, Access Financial Services (AFS) directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu were on Wednesday each convicted and sentenced for five years imprisonment on various corrupt charges.

The four have also filed in affidavits in support of summons for bail pending appeal to the High Court.

Kalumba argued in his grounds of appeal that the trial magistrate erred in law and fact in convicting him against the weight of evidence.

Other grounds of appeal would follow after his lawyers study the case record.
Kabwe and Chungu said in their grounds of appeal that the trial magistrate misdirected himself on points of law by not considering the ingredients of the offences under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

Kabwe said the court misdirected itself on a point of law and fact by finding him guilty of corruptly erecting a cottage for former secretary to the treasury Benjamin Mweene.

Magistrate Musona is today expected to hear the bail pending appeal application although Chibanda’s bail application hearing date is yet to be set as her affidavit for bail was filed late.

In the same case Mr Musona also sentenced former chief economist Bede Mphande, former director of budget Boniface Nonde and Mweene to five years imprisonment each but suspended for 24 months.

The general director of SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency) Anders Nordström is fired and the authority will be re-organized.

The reason is that the government is not happy with the control over money spent on development cooperation. The management of the authority bears the responsibility for the lack of control and for the organisational shortcomings according to the government.

After the revelation last year about development mean for Zambia being used for corruption and embezzlement in the African country, the government realised that something had do be done writes Minister for Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson on the debate site Newsmill.

– The control over SIDA must be better and comprehensive changes are necessary to reach the vision about an aid that makes a difference writes Ms Carlsson

Charlotte Petri Gornitzka has been appointed new General Director at SIDA.

Tommie Ullman
[email protected]

[Stockholm News]

The Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, has called on Media institutions to be professional in their reporting so as to ensure that it is not regulated by the government.

Speaking in interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today MISA Zambia President, Henry Kabwe urged Media institutions to be truthful, fair and objective in their reporting.

Mr. Kabwe called on Journalists to report about stories that promote development and peace in the country. He said the media should avoid being political but report on development issues that are helpful to the nation and the public.

“Journalists must play their role of providing the public with informative, entertaining and educative materials as opposed to being political,” said Mr. Kabwe.

He explained that Journalists should avoid propagating agendas of political parties’ and bringing out issues in a political manner.

Mr. Kabwe noted that Media institutions should be responsible in their reporting and that they should avoid being biased.

He also urged politicians to provide the media with information that promotes peace, intelligence and developmental in nature as opposed to attacking each other.

Mr. Kabwe advised politicians to work together and avoid being emotional and personal.
He said politicians should be focused and learn to exchange ideas that are development oriented.

And commenting on the same matter Press Association of Zambia (PAZA),President, Andrew Sakala called on the public not only to focus on the negative aspect but also on the positive issues that the media report about.

Mr. Sakala noted that Journalists have been playing an important role of providing information to the public on Economical, Social and Political issues among other issues.

He said what the media report about is simply a reflection of society happenings and therefore it is vague general and wrong for one to condemn the media.

” Journalists should not be blamed for their reporting because they only bring to the attention of society the happening events”, said Mr. Sakala.

Mr. Sakala has called for a fundamental change in the way politicians exchange their ideas and views.

He added that media institutions have a right to support apolitical parties of their choice. He has since urged journalists to be professional, objective and truthful in their reporting.

ZANIS

Transparency International Zambia TIZ says the conviction of former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba and his co-accused is welcome and was expected.

TIZ president Rueben Lifuka said it is hoped that the conviction of the MMD National Secretary and his co-accused would mark the end of corrupt activities in the country.

He added that the convictions should also serve as a deterrent to would be corruption perpetrators.

Mr. Lifuka noted that the judiciary in the country should be commended for the work it has done on the case.
said the judgment should also send a message to the government workers that corruption has ill effects on the country.
A Lusaka magistrate Court yesterday convicted former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba together with six his co-accused on corruption charges.

Lusaka High Court deputy director of court operations Edward Musona sitting as magistrate sentenced Dr Kalumba,former finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda and former Acess Financial services directors Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour.

He handed former ministry of finance Chief Economist Bede Mpande, former secretary to the treasury professor Benjamin Mweene and former director of Budget Boniface Nonde suspended sentences.

Dr Kalumba has since filed the notice for bail pending appeal to the High Court.
[QFM}

President Rupiah Banda yesterday launched a highly advanced video conferencing system that will enable lecturers from Japan to teach students at the Copperbelt University and the University of Zambia at the same time.

The technology is the first ever to work in any part of the World while universities in the United States of America will be linked to the system next month.

President Banda was delighted that Zambia was pioneering a technology that would keep Zambia at an advanced stage in technology advancement ahead of the launch of the e-learning Africa conference, taking place at the Mulungushi International Conference.

Mr Banda and delegation attended a lecture which was conducted by a lecturer from CBU whose presence appeared too close and intimate to believe it was a distance lecture that was meant for his class in Lusaka and another at CBU.
[pullquote]“Let all our citizens be assured that my Government is striving to ensure that equitable and accessible education is provided to all citizens of Zambia,” President Banda said.[/pullquote]
The president learnt about the classification of copper minerals, derived from a system that was designed by Professor James Dana in 1848 in which eight different metals were listed and there chemical make up explained.

President Banda said he delighted that a project that he had discussed with directors from the World Alliance Forum had finally materialised.

“Let all our citizens be assured that my Government is striving to ensure that equitable and accessible education is provided to all citizens of Zambia,” President Banda said.

He said his Government’s commitment towards education takes from the decision to turn the former Mulakupikwa Police Training College in Chinsali and turn it into a centre that would offer mathematics, science and information and communication technology at a university level.

The president urged Communications and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa to ensure a speedy implementation of the ICT policy he launched when he was vice-president because information technology was a catalyst for economic development, which helps farmers monitor trends in agriculture.

Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Hideto Matamura said the cost of putting up the technology was offered under the Japanese official development assistance.

He hoped the system would be broadened to allow for teaching agriculture and other matters in the rural areas and this would reduce on the cost of travels to conduct education matters.

Prof Lungwangwa said the innovation was part of President Banda’s success stories and commitment towards education.
[ Times of Zambia ]