A former MAHTANI Group of Companies lawyer has accused the Post Newspaper of having pecuniary interest to have Former Finance Bank Chairperson RAJAN MAHTANI restored to control Finance bank.
ZAHEEDA ESSA has alleged that the Post Newspaper is trying to avoid being exposed, as it owes Finance Bank billions of KWACHA.
Meanwhile, Ms ESSA has sued Dr MAHTANI for defamation.
Ms ESSA has filed a libel suit, following a Post Newspaper publication dated JANUARY 28, where it was reported that she had with-drawn her court testimony against Dr MAHTANI.
Ms ESSA has also sued the Post Newspaper and its two reporters CHIBAULA SILWAMBA and MWALA KALALUKA in connection with the same matter.
She says the article demonstrates that she has committed perjury by swearing a false affidavit.
Ms ESSA claims that she has been subjected to public ridicule.
She has said that Dr MAHTANI is a source of the story that allegedly fabricated that she had recused her court testimony.
Ms ESSA also accused Dr MAHTANI of being bent on destroying her political, professional and personal reputation.
She is claiming damages for the injuries the alleged libelous article has caused her.
Ms ESSA has also sought an injuction to restrain the Post Newspaper from publishing similar articles.
This contained in a statement of claim filed in the LUSAKA High Court.
[ZNBC]
Shame on Fred Mmembe and his friends, no wonder the support being given to the Raj by the Post shame!!
Ah now ze indians are fighting each aza.Interesting :)
Essa is going to finnish the Post and Mathani
Zaheeda is within her rights to turn state witness and all her evidence will be accepted by the courts. its classic. she herself is not immune to prosecution but she will get a lighter sentence for cooperating with authorities. Post cannot dig deeper because the deeper the dig the deeper they will fall into the pit they have dug for themselves. I am sure mr wise one you are a post employee or party to the rubbish that membe has been doing. zaheeda has not committed any offence it is normal for prosecuters to find someone who can turn around as state witness. is this not what mark chona did with antan shansonga but atan was too clever for chona and nchito and he bolted with the evidence and hence chiluba could not be nailed!!! but instead membe and rajan will be nailed to the cross, hahaha
Well !!
I have addressed this topic a number of times. Some have accused me to have an issue with Fred M’membe & Rajan
M’membe is the worst hypocrite in Zambia. He is a cheat, liar and stinks. The whole thing has been to protect his empire that is broke and busted. He knows that once the Creditors pounce on him, they will finish him.
Diverting the story, accusing RB and BOZ will not work. He borrowed over his limit. He promised Rajan Mahtani that he would deliver a President in State House.
Cont from 5#
Of late, he has confined to his team to ditch Sata because he [Sata} has not become a Hot Cake any more. In other ways, when Sata is the headlines on the hard copy, the Post is no longer selling as it used to do. Thus asked his reporters to find better stories and not commit to Sata all the time. One can sense that he has realised that SATA will not make it to the promise land. Therefore, its time to have damage control
maale ndachijata….shame on the post and its minion where are kaponyas for PF and its vuvuzelaq post rubbish we are in the days of real change based on truth,post and UPND can not walk together bcoz post is full of corrupt people like PF so UPND believes in real issues affecting our people not even a vendor is given change as commission shame on the post,clear your names,VIVA VIVA VIVA VIVA UPND
The post have started a different person, Essa is going to distort them.
And the post should pay back the loan to the bank.
Lusaka Times: why are you duplicating stories. You had earlier run this story as “Rajan Mahtani sued by his former lawyer”. Funny same bloggers are commenting on this as if it is a fresh one..
I also owe FBZ a lot. Essa, why are you not mentioning me? That is discrimination. Come after me also…….
Fred Mmembe,Finally what chanda chimba has been telling us has now been proved to be true.Nyway,we know the Post is just bent on character assassination and stuff like that.They tried to do that to HH and how he acquired property but they failed.
Thanx to the leaders of the UPND who have done away with the post.
COULD SOMEBODY HELP ME,HOW POWERFUL IS ESSA?
M’MEMBE FRED,,,MWAICHE YOU CAN’T THE CLEAVEST MAN ON EARTH,,YOU AND OLD MIKE SATA YOU ARE TO BE PUNSHED BY THE ALMIGHTY GOD,,,,YOU ARE VERY CRUEL MEN…ZAMBIANS WAKE UP,,,YOU LIKE FOLLOWING CROOKS,,FTJ CHILUBA MADE US LEARN A LESSON,,THIS TIME THINK TWICE AND CRITICALLY,,NOT JUST FOLLOWING ANY HOW,,PLS BA ZAMBIA,,LET DO WHAT WILL MAKE OUR OWN BLOOD/ CHILDREN PROUD OF LIVING IN ZAMBIA.
Owing or being owed money in business is normal practice as long as the debt is being serviced. How much does ZNBC owe financial institutions? Its almost insolvent without a solid business plan.
If ZNBC was a private broadcaster, it would have long closed down.
No.5
I agree with you. The Post has contributed to the fall of the Pact with its biased reporting!!!
Mmembe is the biggest hypocrite in Zambia and he thinks he is the most intelligent person in Zambia. Most people are being misled by his trash post newspaper. Mmembe you need deliverance.
We have always laughed at protruding ignorance and susceptibility of PF Kaponyas here who have lived to believe MMD is a match maker and that the spewing of his internal strife accummulated from his fatherless life time is an asset to the alligned Sata. PF kaponyas believe RB and HH have disincentives. This sublevel political view point is beyond utopia, Mmembe a political mercenary with retarded Amos Malupenga is a liability to Sata. All in all MMD wins or wins period.
Proud to be a Zambian. Ours is a dynamic country favored and protected by God who has cursed the tower of babel to fall and so it has.Nothing good can come out of hatred, regionalism, insults and lies for these are not only abominations but reproach to society.We said it at conception of this unholy PF-UPND marriage of convenience consumated in hell was doomed. That landed us insults from the ignoramuses.
# 16 meant to say they think Mmembe is a match majker.
PF Kaponyas here who have lived to believe Mmembe is a match maker and that the spewing of his internal strife.
It iz very normal practice to owe somebody money within agreed termz. Have almost read every Post newspaper since the first publication and think the paper haz been consistent to a very large degree. Yes there have been issuez here and there, but who iz an angel? A lot of our learned journalist relatives and friendz have been a part of The Post success story and can attest to this. Fred Mmembe az MD iz just human. If there iz anything the newspaper haz (not)done illegally, let the law take it’s course.
We have been vindicated.Where is Deja vu and his cabal of PF sycophant bloggers?
The Post tabloid is now a valueless economic shell at face value. No serious and seasoned investor can risk to buy out its heavy indebtedness. It has no book value. Credit analysts will agree with me in efficient market systems both Mmembe and his business shell are economic hazards and deserves no benefits from the financial market. I can’t even talk of a debt ratio to look at because they don’t have it. Have been surviving on latcheting accounts with financial institutions. Zambian economic regulating institutions have a window of opportunity place the tabloid where it belongs this year.
Amos Malupenga is a liar. Busy banging Masebo, cheating on the wife. And he has the guts to call other people cheats in his Editorials every day.
Where is Deja Vu??????????????
mwaiche
no 11 akm: ZAHEEDA WAS THE NO. 1 CONFIDANT OF MAHTANI AND SHE IS THE ONE WHO HANDLED ALL HIS TRANSACTIONS. SHE WAS ALSO HIS BEDMATE. I BELIEVE SHE WAS PLANTED VERY EARLY ON BY STATE SECURITY TO GATHER DATA AND INFORMATION ON MAHTANI. RAJAN HAS FOR A LONG TIME BEEN A DANGER TO ZAMBIA’S NATIONAL INTEREST AND SECURITY FROM THE DAYS OF KK TO RB. IN FACT HE STOLE SHARES FROM BA PAT PUTA IN COPPER HARVEST TO MAKE HIMSELF MAJORITY SHREHOLDER IN FINANCE BANK. RAJAN IS A CROOK SIMPLE AND ESSA WILL BRING HIM DOWN. RAJAN MADE A MISTAKE OF PLAYING WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE THE ITALIANS AT ZAMBEZI PORTLAND AND THOSE GUYS AS YOU KNOW ARE BAD NEWS AS MAFIA. THEY WILL FINISH MAHTANI OFF
MEMBE IS A THIEF!! A LAZO!!!:d
Breach of banker/customer confidentiality and this mwenye needs to be caged as this is against banking ethics.
Ms Essah, You were legal counsel for Mahtani group of companies and finance bank and abated whatever crimes that took place up to Nov-Dec 2010, so that you are presumed innocent.
You were part of the mess which you should have reported the moment you saw anything wrong or should have stopped the wrongs in your capacity as legal counsel. Now you want to show the world that you are clean when in fact not. Madam, in law this is what is called joint enterprise and you cannot run away at the last minute when you see that nkani ya lula.
One wonders what is happening to the legal profession in Zambia as lawyers have been in the media on all the wrong things including crime.
Can PF donchi kubeba guys and Deja Vu come to the rescue of Mmembe and his post newspaper please. Drama is unfolding in Zambia.
Similarly, the Law Association of Zambia should take action against Essa for breach of client confidentiality both lawyer/client and banker/customer.
What type of legal counsel is this? She is only lucky that she is a Zambian lawyer because she has a lot to answer for even if she has turned prosecution witness. She participated fully and knowingly for all the years she worked for Finance Bank Zambia.
Elo.,…I am still waiting for Deja Vu and genocidal maniac Kalos2121 to comment. Where are you guys??
mule zaheeda is facing the law even though she is state witness. what she is suing for is that the post published lies saying that she copped a plea bargain when she did not. she volunterred information to DEC and DPP knowing it would implicate her so she will face the law as well together with membe. in the meantime she is suing them for defaming her. thats the issue. for your information she was an employee of mahtani and so acted on his instructions. so which ever you look at it rajan will go into jail. zaheeda will also be convicted but in mitigation the court will recognise that she copperated and probably give her a lighter sentence. the same membe you are defending is also a lawyer who should know better than publish lies. zaheeda is a very good lawyer and she will win her suit.
Deja Vu…….where are you??
MEMBE IS A THIEF A BIG LAZO!!!:d
Mmembe is a fake Marxist wannabe who ironically enjoys the fruits of capitalism. Have you noticed that Fred has NEVER reported negatively on Mahtani (the way he does on kafupi daily?). Mahtani gave him credit lines without due diligence and in return he promised not to dig deeper. Alas, one can only cheat God for so long and what’s unfolding now is just the tip of the iceberg. The Post just like Times/ Daily Mail are nothing but propaganda outlets for narrow self serving special interests! Fck Fred and I hope he gets a taste of his own medicine.
In her statement of claim filed in the high court, Ms. Essah claims that the four jointly caused to be published the said article, which contained defamatory words, which have caused immense damage to her reputation and considerable distress to her and her family.
Ms. Essah claims that the article, alleging that she was offered immunity from prosecution, was false and was published with malice. She says she was not pressurized or threatened or under duress when she signed an affidavit against Dr. Mahtani.
Ms Essah however says she voluntarily went to the authorities to tell them the truth of the happenings in the Mahtani group of companies, finance bank and the wrong doings of Dr. Mahtani, way before November and December 2010. She also claims that all the anonymous sources quoted in the story attributed to Dr. Mahtani, are in fact Dr Mahtani himelf as it is he who drafted the initial story and he caused the two post Newspapers journalists, Chibabula Silwamba and Mwala Kalaluka, to use their bylines on the said article.
ITS CLEAR THE YOUNG LADY HAD TURNED INTO A STATE WITNESS WAY BEFORE RAJAN KNEW AND NOW HE HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN A CLASSIC PROPER SECURITY OPERATION AKA LIKE THE WAY THEY DO IT IN US BY FBI. REMEMBER IN US THE MAFIA WERE CAUGHT IN A SIMILAR FASHION THROUGH INFORMANTS!!
Ms. Essah has also explained that says the post newspapers and the two journalists never bothered to verify the story or get her side of the story. She is since claiming damages and an unqualified withdrawal of the allegations leveled against her.
YOU NEVER KNOW MS. ESSAH COULD EVEN BE AN OPERATIVE OF DEC AND OP?? AND YOU GUYS THOUGHT WE DO NOT HAVE PROPER WELL TRAINED SECURITY OPERATIVES. THEY ARE MANY ALL OVER ZAMBIA DAILY SECURING OUR COUNTRY AGAINST RASCALS LIKE MEMBE AND CHI SATANA
BIG PIPE MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY:d
We need change in Zambia.
There is need for change in Zambia.
Fred M’membe – your evil instincts are now hounding you. I know you spent many hours reading the comments posted by all bloggers on LT.
As I have said before, Greed, Blackmail and Self Pity will not rescue. Some of us we know a lot about your scam but would rather let the due process take its course to cane your a.s.s
Hard working Zambians got charged silly bank charges in the past all in the name of recouping the overdraft that you are failing to own up. Some people have not been paid interest accordingly on their savings accounts – all in the name of your greed and all those other crooks that Mahthan allowed to contaminate Finance Bank.
Getting interest in Saving Accounts at FB was a selective process, or “Wako ni Wako”
M’membe – You are condemning the present government for failing the kids of Zambia in the streets and yet you had a nephew that was homeless at the age of 13years and ended being picked up by a Good Samaritan who took him to an orphanage. Where exactly is your Noble Duty as human being with a mansion with all those cars packed. Charity begins at home…
And the IRONY is that.. I have donated millions to this orphanage for the needy children where your nephew is. God Bless this boy and the rest of these innocent children that need us all to help them find a better life
the bell is tolling for you membe!! You are crook, a thief and an evil batty boy!!!
close the post ..we don’t need them for this year’s elections..
msana wanzili,
No need to hide unless you start your own PF kaponya blog. Forgive me for my misplaced assumption I have had about you. I have been thinking that though you are a diehard PF kaponya, you have basic knowledge of law with an ounce of “some” critical thinking skills. Alas, I was dead wrong you have just undressed yourself without any schemes of elicitation from anyone here.
There is no client-lawyer confidentiality where state turns you into a witness or calls it subpoena in US law. Note about this drama from a standard legal practice anywhere in the world including where you domicile. The term subpoena is primarily used in US courts. The preferred term in the UK is now Witness Summons, at least in civil trials. In either country, the subpoena is usually written by the court clerk after he or she has been given a list of witnesses for a trial. The court clerk then writes out, usually in a form letter, a request for the witness’ presence at a specific date and time for testimony. This is exactly what has happened in the Rajan Mahtani trial where Zaheeda Essa is now a state witness.
This is a classic case of “prisoner’s dilemma” in Economics or International Relations and Conflict theory studies.
Catch 22 Zambians vs. Mahtani, Fred Mmembe and Sata on one side.
I see no problem with a company owing money. Debts are part of assets. All companies have debts.
So why it is a sin for the post to owe money? this is stup1d1ty at its best bane.
#37 agreed fully and I salute the Zambian security forces. With all these evil charlatans that surround us today trying to fan trouble at every opportunity, it is no wonder they do not succeed, someone must be watching while we are sleeping peacefully. The other day a few opposition agents cum miners at NFC caused trouble at the mine and deliberately run to a school thus luring the police to follow them and in the process tear gassing innocent pupils. The scheme was twell orchestrated to turn the police and the government into villains, and hopfully stir wider riots. It didn’t work that way, another in their catalogue of failures.
The State has dropped all charges against Zaheeda Essa, a former lawyer for Rajan Mahtani.
Essa has been turned into a state witness against her former boss Mahtani.
Essa was facing charges of fraud and forgery and her passport was confiscated by the state.
But in a complete turn around of events, Essa’ passport has been restored and a complaint of misconduct against her at the Law Association of Zambia has been withdrawn, the Watchdog has been told.
On Monday, Essa sued Mahtani, the Post newspaper and two reporters Chibaula Silwamba and Mwala Kalaluka for defamation.
Bamambala post yalimiteke nfine pantu its the only paper which can face you squarely. You plunderers Post will continue exposing you. I can see you would rather be told lies and believe it. What is exciting about all this nonsense? Grow up.
Why is Mathani always in the middle of things. How come he attracts so much interest. Chiluba had interest in him how come? Does he steal with all these characters or is it just smear campaign?
Honestly this unfair treatment of the Post Newspaper by the MMD government is not fair!!! This is vengeance of the worst kind.
It looks like the government is harassing and targeting the Post Newspaper, to starve it off from its financial sources.
The Post did not commit any crime by getting a loan if at all it did, because even President Banda has got some loans from financial institutions.
President Banda killed off Zambian Airways just because it was connected to the Post, now its Finance Bank, this is not fair to Zambians, when President Banda is bringing foreign investors who are externalising all their profits.
Please President Banda stop this nonsense of persecuting the innocent Post Newspaper. It will only make Zambians to read more of it. Chiluba failed likewise…
Nkongole is normal even for big corporations and states in developed countries, so why the fuss. Looking back though, I wonder what investments/expenditures the Post has been making because their content is forever getting boring. Would be good if they resumed their ‘Digging Deeper’ type of stories by for instance fully investigating how much monies Zambia is losing in the mining sector in the name of investment, how much land has been sold under hedge funds and who is growing what for who, tracking the national budget etc instead of just the court cases, conference, once off interviews and Sata after Sata
Independent Observer I agree with you on #5 but dont agree with you on #6. And Tahrir Square #9 I agree with you. However, Chanda Chimba and The Post are in the same bracket. You cant call what either of them does as journalism. It is barking. Dogs usually bark at something to protect the master or themselves. They are not reporting news. They are just making noise so that the master can look out for potential foes.
Those who are celebrating the so called revelation, stop and think.FBZ has been taken over by BOZ so why havent these allegations come from BOZ? This not different from the Mumbi rantings about the $100,000. YOU WILL NEVER FINISH OFF THE POST. KK tried it by banning all GRZ parastatals from advertising in the POST, still the POST lived on. Please do not just rush with using your logic.
DELETED
independent observer and senior citizen pliz dont bother to reply to the rantings of this woman above my blog she is just an empty tin
Mr. Capitalist – 3 E’s steering economic growth says:
February 15, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Elo.,…I am still waiting for Deja Vu and genocidal maniac Kalos2121 to comment. Where are you guys??
Oh the irony of a mouse calling a lion out when in the past the mouse and his friends senior citizen,booklicker1 & 2, gaga on semen and Veteran have always done exactly the same on many topics.
We have asked for comments on A.G reports, threats of violence, culpable driving charges, threats of RAPE and many other times when MMD has done something so outlandish that it needs to be confirmed by someone in the MMD corner as the rest of the world watches in amazement and tries to comprehend what is going on and are people really that stupid?
#59
Teste – I have had my say #57. I cannot add more, because it baffles me how in this country individuals are more informed than the insititutions which are in charge of the concerned areas eg where is BOZ in these allagations?
Can’t we switch to something else and leave court matters with court and focus on our big task ahead of us the 2011 general elections and see how peaceful will do it what do say all?…..
Essa, dont sue those poor reporters. sue the man himself. Those poor reporters need a plate of nsima on their tables. unfoertunately this nsima is provided by the man himself
MMD are ready to KILL every company & individual who is connected to Post even if it takes killing zambia to kill Mmembe. This is typical of MMD/UNIP politics where they don’t care about Zed. Obama said “I admire the values of all americans including those of Bill gates who is a republican” If RB was american president, microsoft would have been another zambian airways saga. ZAMBIA ISN’T MMD & MMD ISN’T ZAMBIA. what do u gain by killing Finance bank or Z/airways & then get your children to hire used Boeing planes & run Zambezi? just compete with opposition business rather than killing it
# 63 Tommy………….people let us reason passionately! Is prosecuting matani mean killing Finance Bank? suppose it was Dora Siliya running Finance Bank and with all revelations of irregularities, then BOZ just sits down without doing anything, will people like still say what you are saying????? in case you dont know mathani, ask those close to him, including lawyer ESSA!!!!
I have always said on this blog that, we need to reason objectively regardless of our party inclination, just like it is not in order for govt. not to do anything about A.G reports. Let us grow as zambians please!!!!!!
Let justice and fair play prevail.
There is a good question by on blogger. Where is BOZ in this all saga? They are the ones who took over Finance Bank due to alleged illegal transactions. Up to now they have not given us proper reasons for the actions. To me, these are merely speculations or someone is trying to fix Mahtani. Just recently, they were reports that Boz is trying to sell Finance Bank to First Merchant Bank . Is the right procedure being followed? FNB Zambia may not be 100% controlled by First Merchant Bank therefore we need to know the local partners. Whilst we are being fooled by these stories some people are busy reaping us off.
#64 That’s pure shooting man, though I am more passionately attached to zed than u. Government isn’t the vision carrier of finance and all the long term strategic planning they did. When u are selling Zamtel, which is in IT (the world’s millionare sector- bill gates, carlos slim & other makes fortune in there) what about a bank? If u cheat urself that the taking over of FB was not about mathani/ membe then u aren’t objective in this matter. If u can’t see politics in the closure zambian airways & see the current share holders of Zambezi airline, then open ur eyes. Don’t feel bitter when I criticise the evil MMD. My judgement isnt clouded with political bias. I am jus a concerned zambian who see structureless PF and a tribal disgruntled UPND with southern attachement but not national.
#67..Tommy……am very sory if i have shot you, pls forgive. However, am imprest with your last statement which is a different topic, siting the fact that, politics in Zambia leaves a lot to be desired, including the type of journalism. But my major problem in Zambia is that, while we spend all the time pointing out wrongs in the ruling party, we tend to deliberately crown the opposition with the tag of an angel. If we are to grow our politics in Zambia there should be people you inclusive who will not be b iased but look at the larger picture beyond a political party, rather than leave the work of analysis to Mmembe, ZNBC, Times, Daily,Muvi. This is the major problem where if in opposition all Mmembe says is gospel truth and if in ruling oposite is the truth.