FORMER Permanent Secretary Edwin Zumbunu pleads not guilty

Zumbunu, 40, of 1448 Palm Drive in Lusaka’s Chelstone area, pleaded not guilty yesterday when he appeared before Livingstone Principal Resident Magistrate, Exnobert Zulu.
Zumbunu between May 1, 2012 and August 31, 2012 in Livingstone, being a person employed in the public service as Permanent Secretary for Southern Province, allegedly willfully failed to comply with the application procedure relating to procurement.
This was when Zumbunu approved works for the erection of a wall fence at plot number GRZ 1, Kanyanta Road, the Southern Province minister’s official residence, valued at K195, 087, 500 (old currency).
Zumbunu, whose occupation is that of a retiree, said he understood the charge but he pleaded not guilty.
Mr Zulu set October 21, this year as the date for mention while trial would commence on November 13, this year.
The magistrate cautioned both the State and defence to ensure that the case proceeded on the stated dates as he would not entertain adjournments.
Zumbunu is being represented by Anock Mbambara of A Mbambara Legal Practitioners of Lusaka while Martha Tembo from the Anti-Corruption Commission is prosecuting the case.
Meanwhile, murder suspect Henry Lungu yesterday complained before Livingstone magistrate Edsen Shanduba that his case had taken long to be tried.
Lungu, who is linked to the death of Patriotic Front official Harrison Chanda early this year prior to the Livingstone Parliamentary by-election, said it was not correct to keep people in prison for a long time without trial.
In response, Mr Shanduba agreed with Lungu, saying the court was taking his concerns seriously.
Meanwhile, a witness has narrated before a Kabwe magistrate’s court how a man who identified himself as a Major in the Zambia Army allegedly swindled him out of over K300 on the pretext that he was going to supply him with mealie-meal and cooking oil.
This is in a case in which Justine Shikapwasha, 37, is facing one count of obtaining money by false pretences.
Particulars of the offence are that the accused on March 11, this year, with intent to defraud, did obtain K380 cash from Wakunsu Mugala.
This is allegedly by falsely pretending that he was selling 4×25 kg bags of mealie-meal and 20 litres of cooking oil when in fact not.
The witness testified before Lusaka Resident Magistrate Jennifer Bwalya, sitting in Kabwe, that on the material day he was at work when the accused approached him and identified himself as Major Shikapwasha based at Arakan Barracks in Lusaka.
Shikapwasha claimed that he was a brother of former minister in the MMD administration, Ronnie Shikapwasha, and was attached to the intelligence.
The witness narrated in examination-in-chief by State prosecutor Samady Banda that the accused, who was in the company of three others, asked him if he was interested in buying mealie-meal and cooking oil.
He said Shikapwasha said he would reduce the price to K390 and that he got interested and went to his home within town where he gave him the money.