Former president Rupiah Banda fails to appear for questioning

FORMER President Rupiah Banda has failed to appear before the Government’s Joint Investigations Team at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Offices.

This defeated the plan according to insiders close to the investigations to arrest, charge and detain the former president the whole weekend as he could have only appeared in court on Monday and apply for bail. The former president lawyers are said to have been informed of the plan and decided not to take him for another summon at DEC.

Joint Investigating Team spokesperson Namukolo Kasumpa said the team was informed that Banda could not appear because his Lawyers were not
available. Ms Kasumpa said it had been reported that Professor Patrick Mvunga, one of the lawyers was in court while they had not heard anything about Sakwiba Sikota and Irene Kunda.

She said it had since been decided that Banda will appear before the team on Monday March 26 2013. Banda has appeared twice before the team which is investigating him on alleged corrupt practices, money laundering and theft by public servant all which he might have committed while in office