Katele Kalumba, others granted KR500 bail

l.co.zm” class=”f”>Zambia Daily Mail by Online Editor on 6/28/13

By CAROLINE KALOMBE
THE Lusaka High Court yesterday granted former Minister of Finance Katele Kalumba and three others bail pending appeal against a five-year jail sentence.
This is in a matter in which Kalumba, former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda, Access Financial Services Limited directors Faustine Kabwe and Aaron Chungu have appealed against their conviction for corruption by a subordinate court.
High Court Judge Evans Hamaundu said he granted the convicts bail amounting to KR500 in their own recognisance.
In delivering his ruling, Justice Hamaundu said he granted the bail because of the long time that it would take for the accused persons’ matter to be heard by the Supreme Court.
He said although the Supreme Court has embarked on a quick disposal of cases before it, the matter at hand has a big record which needs time to be studied.
Justice Hamaundu said the accused persons have been sentenced to five years imprisonment but that with good behaviour, they would serve about three years.
He said if they remained incarcerated, they would serve a substantial amount of their sentence at the time the matter would be heard.
“We are alive to the fact that this matter has a voluminous record and it would take a considerable time for it to be heard. It is my view that the delay would result in the appellant serving a substantial amount of the sentence,” Justice Hamaundu said.
He said the bail conditions would be on the same terms as those of  the subordinate court.
Meanwhile, former President Rupiah Banda yesterday appeared for mention in the Lusaka Magistrates Court.
Mr Banda appeared before magistrate Joshua Banda in a matter in which he is charged with one count of abuse of authority of office.
The offence is contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that on dates unknown but between May 1, 2008 and September 24, 2011 in Lusaka, Banda, being a person employed in the public service, namely President of the Republic of Zambia, did abuse the authority of his office.
He allegedly procured a US$2.5 million Nigerian Government-to-Government oil contract in the name of the Republic of Zambia “which he in fact meant to benefit himself and his family”.
He is accused of instructing his son, Henry, to determine the destination of the proceeds of the contract, an instruction from which the Republic of Zambia did not receive any benefit.
Banda’s alleged act is “arbitrary and prejudicial to the interests of the Republic of Zambia”.