Second Republican president, Frederick Chiluba and his co-accused have started their defence in the Lusaka Magistrates Court.

Dr. Chiluba and former Access Financial Services Directors, Faustin Kabwe and Aaron chungu opened their defence – Monday.

Mr. Kabwe was the first to take the stand.

The three were found with a case to answer on 12 counts of theft.

Dr. Chiluba, Mr. Kabwe and Mr. Chungu were charged with theft after they allegedly stole public funds from the Zambia Intelligence Account known as ZAMTROP.

The former President is facing six counts of theft by public servant while Kabwe and Chungu are also facing six counts of theft.

During examination by defence lawyer John Sangwa, Mr. Kabwe 58, told the court how he excelled in his accountancy profession in the late 1970, a situation he said enabled him serve in different organisations.

He said upon completion of his secondary education,he was recruited by Indeco estates as a trainee accountant and later proceeded to the united kingdom after Indeco offered him sponsorship to further his education.

Mr. Kabwe told the court that he worked for various organisations was admitted to be member of the association of certified chartered accountants.

And Dr. Chiluba’s Lawyers have complained to the court about Task Force Chairman, Max Nkole’s remarks on Radio phoenix and published in the post newspaper of saturday May 10.

The complaint has been tabled before Lusaka High Court deputy registra Jones Chinyama who is handling the case.

Mr. Nkole is alleged to have said that Dr. Chiluba and his co-acussed can have their case dropped if they returned what they stole.

The Lawyers complained that the statement by Mr. Nkole is contempt to the court as it presumed Dr. Chiluba and his co-accused guilty .

The Lawyers also said the statement was disrespectful to the corruption proceedings in court since the law presumed the accused person innocent until a competent court found them guilty.

The lawyers have since requested that Mr. Nkole be summoned before court and show cause why he should not be committed to court.

Ruling in the matter is expected to be delivered – Tuesday

Livingstone Member of Parliament Sakwiba Sikota, is concerned at alleged Police brutality in Livingstone.

Some members of the public, mostly employees of some private companies who work during night, have claimed to have allegedly been physically assaulted by some unnamed Police officers assigned to conduct night patrols in the tourist capital.

Mr Sikota regretted that some Police officers were allegedly abusing their authority by engaging in unprofessional conduct as they execute the duty of reversing the crime wave in the city.

He was reacting to claims of physical abuse made by some Sun International hotel employees, who stormed ZANIS offices in Livingstone and alleged that they were beaten by some police officers on their way from work.

Mr Sikota advised the Police to bear in mind that it was inevitable for some workers to move during night time considering that most businesses were tourism based and operated both during day and night time.

He has since appealed to Inspector General of Police, Ephraim Mateyo, to ensure that paramilitary officers deployed to
Livingstone are oriented to target criminals and not innocent people.

He said this in a telephone interview with ZANIS in Livingstone today.

Meanwhile, Southern Province Police Commanding Officer, Lemmy Kajoba, said he had not received reports of alleged Police brutality in Livingstone.

Mr. Kajoba said the crime wave reported in Livingstone was more pronounced in the media than on the ground and added that no one had been beaten since paramilitary officers begun patrols in the city last week.

Patriotic Front President Michael Sata who was hospitalised in South Africa following a heart attack has returned home.

Mr. Sata said on arrival at Lusaka International Airport, that he had a close shave with death.

“I would have been dead if President Mwanawasa did not personally intervene to ensure my evacuation to South Africa for specialist treatment”, he said.

Mr. Sata was grateful that Dr. Mwanawasa got involved under what he called difficult circumstances.

The PF leader was met on arrival by party Secretary General, Edward Mumbi and several party cadres.

Mr. Sata said President Mwanawasa put everything behind to ensure, he sought treatment from abroad over his heart problem.

He said he is now fit.

And Mr. Sata is scheduled to meet with President Mwanawasa to dialogue on how to address some of the challenges the country is facing.

Mr. Sata told Journalists he realized that the importance of minimizing the current gap between himself and President Mwanawasa for the benefit of the people.

He disclosed that he has been having telephone conversations with Dr. Mwanawasa over the past few weeks and how the duo can build mutual trust.

Mr. Sata said the problems in Zimbabwe could not have risen had President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai been on talking terms.

He said he has taken it upon himself because he was leader on of the biggest opposition political party’s in the country.

Government has appointed Imare Corporate Finance (ICF) and Stock Broker Zambia (SBZ) to manage the disposal of the Zambia Privatisation Trust Fund’s 25.8 percent of the ordinary share capital of ZANACO.

This would be via an Initial Public Offer (IPO) followed by the listing of ZANACO shares on the Lusaka Stock Exchange.

LUSE Chairperson Friday Ndhlovu who disclosed the listing of shares by ZANACO on LUSE in Lusaka today said the move was remarkable as it would enable a lot of Zambians to have an opportunity to own part of the Bank shares and benefit from profits through dividends.

Mr. Ndhlovu further announced that LUSE will at the end of this month host a Southern African Development Community (SADC) stock exchange meeting in Livingstone.

He said the agenda of the meeting will be to foster regional integration of markets and harmonisation of trading rules among other things.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Stock Exchange (LUSE) has approved a K1 billion and K40 million Celtel application to offer 20 percent of its shares on the Lusaka Stock Exchange.

LUSE Chairperson Friday Ndhlovu announced the development at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

Mr. Ndhlovu said the offer period opened on April 30th and that it will close on May 20, 2008.

He has since urged Zambians to take advantage of Celtel’s 20 percent listings and buy shares as a means of economic empowerment.

Mr. Ndhlovu further disclosed that the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LUSE) is to invest US$ 1million towards the procurement of an Automated System which will be operational before the end of this year.

He explained that the recent listing of the Copperbelt Energy Company (CEC) as well as the increase in trades and increased numbers of listed securities and an increase in awareness and interest by local investor’s has prompted LUSE to switch to an automated system.

Mr. Ndhlovu said investment in an automated system will increase speed and subsequently cope with the anticipated increase in investors trading arising out of the new listings of Celtel and the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO.

He explained that the Lusaka Stock Exchange had in the past been operating on a manual basis adding that orders were matched as they were faxed or delivered to the exchange by brokers.

The University of Zambia Business and Economics Association (UNZABECA) has called on government to ensure that the process of accessing funds from the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) was not complicated.

UNZABECA President, Keegan Mwamba, told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that there was need for the youth to access the funds without unnecessary hurdles for them to be economically empowered.

Mr. Mwamba said easy access to the empowerment fund would significantly help reduce the high levels of unemployment in the country.

He stated that government should have a well designed and transparent system, which will not disadvantage any citizen, especially the young people whom he said were future leaders.

He noted that government should begin to actively engage the youth in the economic governance of the country, noting that easy access to national empowerment funds was one way of achieving this.

Mr. Mwamba said his association undertakes sensitisation activities at UNZA to ensure that youths understand economic governance and take up their roles in the country’s economic life.

He has since urged the youths to rise to the challenge and begin to take keen interest in the governance of the country so that their future is guaranteed.

Government has handed over 150 second hand vehicles valued at K6.3 billion to traditional leaders in the country.

The 150 vehicles make up the first batch of the 286 vehicles to be procured for traditional leaders in the country.

The remaining 136 will be procured later this year.

Speaking during the handover ceremony in Lusaka today, Local Government and Housing minister, Sylvia Masebo, said government decided to give motor vehicle loans to traditional leaders in a bid to ease their mobility in monitoring developmental projects in their respective chiefdoms.

Ms. Masebo stated that the vehicles were on loan and would remain government property until the entire loan amount has been redeemed.

The loan will attract a 5 per cent interest per annum.

She said maintenance and fuel costs shall be borne by the owners, adding that a recovery of 50 percent of the chiefs’ monthly subsidy would be made.

And Ms. Masebo has disclosed that cabinet was still considering the chief’s policy which will be approved by the end of the year.

She announced that government would carry out consultations with the traditional leaders in updating the villages Act.

She appealed to the traditional leaders to work with local authorities in issues of land development, saying some chiefs refuse to give land for government to undertake developmental projects such as construction of schools and clinics.

Ms. Masebo further bemoaned the increasing boundary and succession wrangles in some chiefdoms.

She said her ministry would study at family trees and boundaries in all chiefdoms to ensure that succession wrangles are reduced and consolidate positions of boundaries.

and speaking earlier, House of Chiefs Chairperson, Chief Mumena thanked government for the gesture saying the vehicles would enable traditional leaders contribute to the governance of the country through effectively serving the citizens.

Government has appealed to the Road Development Agency (RDA) to quickly put up road signs on the Great East road if the number of road traffic accidents on the road was to be reduced.

Eastern Province minister, Charles Shawa, said most of the road signs along the great East road have been vandalised, a development he said was contributing to the increased number of accidents.

Mr. Shawa said it was difficult for drivers to know what was ahead of them as they drive along when there was no road signs.

He said this today at St. Francis Hospital in Katete, when he visited accident victims who were injured in a Zambia-Botswana-Lusaka bound bus two weeks ago.

“There is urgent need to ensure that the necessary road signs are replaced if the number of road traffic accidents is to be reduced,” he said.

He also expressed concern that some public service vehicle drivers like over-speeding on the road.

Mr. Shawa said public transport drivers should take precautions not to endanger the lives of their passengers.

He stated that it was sad that road traffic accidents have increased just after the road has being rehabilitated.

The minister observed that the rehabilitation of the road should have lessened the number of accidents, which were attributed to the bad state of the road earlier.

In another development, two people have been arrested for breaking into and stealing household items form senior chief Kawaza’s palace.

Katete District Commissioner, Elemani Mwanza, disclosed to Mr. Shawa when he visited the chief at his hospital bed that thieves yesterday broke into the palace and stole a number of household goods.

Mr. Mwanza said the thieves broke into the palace yesterday when chief’s relatives went to visit him at St. Francis hospital where he has been admitted since Monday last week.

He revealed that the two suspects who have been arrested were both residents of chief Kawaza’s chiefdom.

And Mr. Shawa has appealed to the police to investigate the matter thoroughly, saying it was sad that people took advantage of the condition of the chief by breaking into his palace.

And senior chief Kawaza said he was now feeling much better that the time he was hospitalized last week.