MAHTANI Group of Companies lawyer, Zaheeda Essa and 11 other workers have been arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) for alleged obstruction of justice and failure to provide a shareholding certificate for Zambezi Portland Cement, and they later in the afternoon appeared in the Lusaka magistrate court for mention.

DEC public relations officer, John Nyawali confirmed this in Lusaka yesterday, adding that Ms Essa was further being investigated in connection with the alleged fraudulent transfer of 80 million shares in Zambezi Portland Cement, which belonged to other shareholders.

Ms Essa, of 14 Chila Road in Lusaka’s Kabulonga area, was jointly charged with company manager, Zeyaur Rahman Hashmi, consultant Anthony Grant, messenger Wilson Shamboko, leasing officer Rajeshvary Joshi, management secretary Parvathi Nachimuthu, and receptionist Mercy Nkashi.

Others are deputy manager, Bridget Banda, security officer, Nyambe Namushi, driver, Mukumbuta Wamuleme, secretary, Agness Njekwa and support staff, Jean Kunda.

A team of officers from DEC on Tuesday evening conducted a search of the Mahtani Group of Companies premises in connection with the ongoing money laundering investigations.

The officers who where looking for a shareholding certificate for Zambezi Portland Cement combed the offices of Finsbury Investments at Finance Bank head office in Lusaka.

Mr Nyawali said the commission suspected that Ms Essa had fraudulently transferred the shares in Zambezi Portland Cement, which were held by other shareholders, to Finsbury Investments.

Mr Nyawali said DEC had further established that Ms Essa held a Zambian passport and a British one, which was contrary to the laws of Zambia.

He aid the commission wanted to correct the perception created that the matter being investigated was a civil one, which did not warrant the involvement of DEC, saying it was a criminal offence as it bordered on money laundering activities.

Later in the afternoon, the 12 appeared in the Lusaka magistrate court for mention in the same case.

They were scheduled to take plea yesterday before chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda, but could not do so because Mr Kafunda was reported to be attending deliberations at the National Constitutional Conference.

Ms Essa and the other 11 who appeared before senior resident magistrate Sharon Newa are expected take plea today before Mr Kafunda.

One of the lawyers representing the 12 accused persons, Michael Mundashi said it was unfortunate for the State to contend that the matter was coming up for mention contrary to the earlier statement that it was coming up for plea.

But Anti-Corruption Commission advocate, Kampamba Kombe said the matter was scheduled for plea before Mr Kafunda but because the chief resident magistrate was not available, their instructions were to mention the matter before another court.

Mr Kombe said the accused would take plea before Mr Kafunda because he was the magistrate handling the case.
The 12 were sent to remand prison.

[Times of Zambia]

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda is next week expected to leave for China for a State visit at the invitation of Chinese President, Hu Jintao.

According to a statement released in Lusaka yesterday by special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere, President Banda would depart for China on February 23 and would hold talks with President Jintao and other senior Chinese government officials.

During the visit, the two countries would sign various memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in different fields.

President Banda would be accompanied to China by First Lady, Thandiwe Banda and five Cabinet ministers among them Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Maxwell Mwale, and Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Catherine Namugala.

The president is scheduled to meet various investors as well as undertake a tour of some leading Chinese companies before meeting African diplomats accredited to China. Mr Banda and his delegation are scheduled to return home on March 4.

[Times of Zambia]

THE ministry of education in Choma says the poor Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) radio reception has impacted negatively on the effectiveness of education broadcasts Pogrammes.

Speaking in Choma during a meeting with officials from the Zambia Open Community Schools, District Standards Officer for open and distance education Sara Mungala said most schools are unable to access education broadcasts because of poor ZNBC reception.

Mrs Mungala said the district has about 46 community schools that have been provided with radio sets so that children could get their education through education radio broadcasts but the facilities have turned into white elephants.

She said education broadcasts have proved effective in providing education to disadvantaged schools that have no qualified teachers.

Mrs Mungala said children at some community schools in Pemba are fortunate to access education broadcasts aired by a community radio station and were doing extremely well academically.

She however said the ministry has started deploying some teachers to some community schools to help improve the quality of education.

And speaking during the same meeting, Zambia Open Community Schools Programmes Manager Peter Sinyangwe said the organization will take up the matter with the Ministry of Education to see how best children in community schools can be assisted.

Mr Sinyangwe said the organization will explore the possibility of using the existing private radio stations with good radio reception to air education broadcasts.

ZANIS

Government says it is satisfied with the manner in which Chifundo youth project a Lusaka based youth organization has utilized the K25 million loan it had acquired from the government.

Youth Sport and Child Development deputy Ministers Mundia Ndalamei and Maynard Misapa said it is overwhelming to note that youths, with the help of government, have taken it upon themselves to empower their peers through job and wealth creation.

The two Deputy Ministers said it will not help for youths in the country to continue crying to government for jobs when they can actually do something from the money that government always sets aside for their empowerment.

The two Deputy Ministers observed that many youths across the country are blessed with various talents which they can utilize to help them better their lives unlike always waiting for hand outs from government.

Mr. Ndalamei and Mr. Misapa said this in Lusaka during a familiarization tour of Chifundo Youth Project which ventures in carpentry and joinery in Lusaka’s Mandevu compound.

The two Deputy Ministers have since advised Chifundo youth project to diversify their projects and consequently increase their capital base.

Meanwhile the duo have urged youths in the country to take advantage of the K5 billion that government has set aside in this year’s budget for youth empowerment.

Speaking earlier Project Coordinator Kendrick Siame commended government for the funds and has since urged them to consider the project on the K5 billion that they have set aside for youth empowerment.

Mr Siame however appealed to government to help them with an alternative bigger trading place for them to operate in adding that the current place they are operating at is too small and congested.

And Mr. Siame has disclosed that Chifundo Youth Project has empowered many youths including those from the Zambia National Service (ZNS) camps.

He also disclosed that his project has since paid back K24 million out of the K25 million loan they had acquired from government.

ZANIS

Over thirty-three thousand candidates who sat for examinations last year have obtained full grade twelve certificates.

This is out of fifty-five thousand pupils who sat for grade twelve examinations.

Education Minister DORA SILIYA says the results represent a pass rate of 60.6 percent compared to 61 percent in 2008.

The Minister also disclosed that one hundred and five schools had poor grade twelve results and that government will launch investigations into the matter.

Ms SILIYA said the Copperbelt province has the largest number of schools with poor results countrywide.

The Minister also said western province has recorded less than forty percent school certificate pass rate while North Western Province has recorded the largest number of schools with a pass rate of below fifty percent.

Ms SILIYA told journalists that twenty schools out of one hundred and twenty-five obtained one hundred percent pass rates.

[ZNBC]