Ex-REA chief appears in court

01/10/2013

FORMER Rural Electrification Authority (REA) chief executive officer Wilfred Serenje yesterday appeared before a Lusaka magistrate’s court on charges of abuse of authority of office.

Serenje, 55, who appeared before Magistrate Lameck Nga’mbi, said he understood the charge, but denied committing the offence.

This is in a matter in which Serenje, of plot 166 Chainama, is accused of abusing authority of his office by drawing fuel and lubricants from the REA account held at Tiiseza Zambia Limited (trading as Puma Service Station) at Arcades Shopping Mall in Lusaka.

The fuel was allegedly drawn for his personal motor vehicle, Nissan Sunny registration number ABA 4525.

The offence is said to have been committed between January 1, 2008 and November 31, 2011.

Serenje was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday last week after protracted investigations into his conduct before and after his contract was terminated on November 9, last year.

Serenje, a retiree, was released on bond with two working sureties in the sum of K5,000 each and K10,000 for himself.

The matter was adjourned to November 5 this year for possible commencement of trial.