The Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka for corrupt practices involving hammer mills, bicycles and solar panels.

Mr Muteteka was arrested today and charged with eight (8) counts of abuse of authority of office contrary to section 99 (1) of the penal code Act chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia and one (1) count of theft contrary to section 272 of the penal code Act chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

This is contained in a press statement made availed to ZANIS by ACC Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono.

Mr Moono said that Mr Muteteka faces six counts of theft by public servant.

He said in count one to six, Mr Muteteka on dates unknown but between 1^st January 2010 and 31^st December 2011, in Chibombo district of the Central province and being a person employed in the public service as an MP for Chisamba constituency as well as Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, abused the authority of his office by giving  to wrong people hammer mills he obtained from Gender in Development Division (GIDD), meant for the Chisamba constituency.

Mr Moono disclosed that Mr Muteteka gave the said hammer mills to his family members an act which was arbitrary and prejudicial to the interests of the government.

He noted that those that received the hammer mills include Mr Muteteka’s sisters Rosemary and Elidah Mulongwe, others are his grandfather Daniel Lyatumba of Mwapwa village of Kapiri Mposhi district and his nephew Isaac Paso of Kangalangala villgage in Kanakantapa of Chibombo district.

Others are Terry Milambo of Chitanta village in Chikonkomene area in Chisamba and his sister in law Fallace Chito of Kangombe village in Keembe constituency.

Mr Moono said in count seven Mr Muteteka on dates unknown but between 1^st January 2011 and 31^st December 2011 in Chibombo district jointly and whilst acting together with other unknown persons, did abuse the authority of his office by procuring using Chisamba Constituency Development Funds (CDF) 26 bicycles, two solar panels, one solar inverter, one solar regulator and one solar battery from SARO Agro industrial Ltd without following the laid down CDF guidelines.

He added that in count eight Mr Muteteka is believed to have on dates unknown but between 1^st July and 31^st August 2011 directed the Chibombo district council to purchase six hammer mills from SARO Agro industrial Ltd the highest bidder without following tender procedures.

Mr Muteteka in the last count is being charged with theft particulars of the offence are that on dates unknown but between 1^st January and 31^st December 2011 in Chibombo jointly while acting together with other persons unknown did steal one hammer mill bearing engine number Id2.1006.07 1100037 and mill number 8146, the property of Chibombo district council.

Mr Moono further stated that Mr Muteteka has denied the charges and will appear in court soon.

And in a related development, the ACC has today arrested a driver at First Quantum Minerals (FQM) in Solwezi for corrupt transactions by private persons involving KR1,000 (K1 million).

Mr Moono said Greenwell Wilson Kamonga was arrested on allegations of corrupt solicitation of KR1,000 and receipt of KR750 contrary to section 20(1) of the ACC act 3 of 2012 chapter 91 of the laws of Zambia.

He explained that it is alleged that between 13^th June and 21^st June 2012 Kamonga jointly and whilst acting together with other unknown persons, corruptly solicited for the said KR1,000 from a job seeker of Solwezi and actually received KR750 cash gratification from the named job seeker.

The money was an inducement or reward for him in order to facilitate her employment at FQM, a matter or transaction concerning FQM, a private body.

Kamonga has been detained at Kyawama Police Station in Solwezi and will appear in Court soon.

astern Province Minister Malozo Sichone this afternoon narrowly  escaped death when the vehicle he was travelling in careered off the road after hitting a cyclist on the Chipata/Mfuwe road.

Mr Malozo and three others escaped unhurt in the accident which occurred about 3 kilometers from the Chipata central business district around 13:30 hours while the cyclist who was unconscious was rushed to Chipata General Hospital.

According to Eastern Province Administration Head Messenger Justine Mwale who was with the minister when the accident occurred said, the driver of the Mitsubishi Pajero registration number GRZ 131 lost control when he tried to avoid hitting the cyclist who wanted to make  a turn at a junction with  Katopola road.

Mr Mwale said the confused cyclist’s movements on the road also contributed to the vehicle driver hitting him as both eventually went the same direction.

He explained that the cyclist who was carrying a passenger ignored hooting by the driver of the minister’s vehicle, a situation that led to the accident.

He stated that the passenger of the bicycle escaped unhurt as he jumped off the bicycle.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Mwamba who rushed to the scene of the accident shortly after it occurred said Mr Malozo was involved in the mishap while on his way to the airport to escort Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba who was in the district to officially open a Youth training programme at Chiwoko’s Zambia National Service (ZNS)training camp in Chipata.

And Mr Mwamba bemoaned increased number of road traffic accident involving cyclists in Eastern province.

Mr Mwamba observed that the province had continued to be among the provinces with the highest rate of road traffic accidents.

He attributed the increased number of such accidents to the narrow state of the road which he said could not adequately accommodate increased traffic of both vehicles and cyclist.

The Permanent Secretary also noted that people were not observing traffic rules and regulations in the province.

However, Mr Mwamba disclosed that government intended to widen roads in future construction to address the situation.

He said for now, government was carrying out sensitization programmes through the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to teach the cyclists and other road users on the need to observe traffic rules and regulations

A 25 year old MTN agent in Solwezi died on the spot after his motor cycle hit into a pillar of the Solwezi River foot bridge last night.

North-Western Province Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Bonny Kapeso identified the deceased as Shadrick Kafupi of Zambia compound in Solwezi.

Mr. Kapeso said Mr Kafupi, who was riding a motor cycle, registration number ACT 1977 belonging to MTN Solwezi Branch, met his fate when the motor bike went off the left side of the road and hit into the pillar of the footbridge.

He said Mr Kafupi died on the spot after he fell off the motor bike and sustained several body injuries around 21:00 hours last night.

Mr. Kapeso said the motor bike had a broken rear left indicator and the left side view mirror.

Mr Kafupi’s body is lying in Solwezi General Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem.