Former President Rupiah Banda pleaded not guilty to charges of illicitly receiving election campaign vehicles from a Chinese-linked construction firm.
Mr. Banda is accused of receiving 10 trucks from the local subsidiaries of China’s Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group.
“I understand the charge your honor and I plead not guilty,” Mr. Banda said after the magistrate read the charge.
The 76-year-old also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of concealing the fact he received the trucks by registering them under the names of family members and a supporter.
It is alleged that the former leader used the vehicles, including Mitsubishi Canters and Fuso Fighters, in his 2011 re-election campaign, which he lost to President Michael Sata.
The former president has been accused of personally benefiting from a US$2.5 million oil deal and has been blocked from leaving the country three times since April.
The trial was set for 26 November and Mr. Banda was released on police bond.
Another case that is going no where. The motive is just to keep RB pre-occupied with attending court.
where are those who gave him the said vehicles, I thought that company was already working in Zambia, how can RB influence favoritism to this company which has been doing works in Zambia for a long time, WAS RB A TENDER OFFICER very fun charges
That how life others think of it. We all live on borrowed time. Soon all of us we be called by the name “FORMER” somebody. How you want to be treat as a FORMER?
Politically motivated charges just to serve the selfish interests of the PF govt. Rupiah Bwezani Banda ,the man of the zambian economic miracle will be vindicated
Wasting our tax payer’s money. It just shows, how incompetent Nchito and his team are. Stop wasting our time if you have run out of facts on this case.
ka kelvin sampa is behind all this mess.
These cases of former leaders are a waste of time . we saw it with Chiluba .. just confiscate the goods and give them to government and let Banda lead his life …………..
BUSES, HOUSES, MPUNDU
TRUST ETC WERE REGISTERED
IN THE NAMES OF FAMILY
MEMBERS…
CHILUBA BOUGHT FLATS ETC.
WAS CHILUBA OR RB GOING TO
PAY BACK THESE PERSONAL
LOANS FROM THEIR SALARIES?
SURELY, IF ZAMBIANS CAN CALL
INVESTIGATIONS INTO THIS TYPE OF
TRANSACTION A WASTE OF TAX
PAYER’S MONEY THEN THEY ARE
MYOPIC!!?
THEN WHY SHOULD HH SHOUT
ABOUT NON CORRUPTION ISSUES IN
FERTILIZER PROCUREMENT??
RB is innocent of all cahrges that the state has slapped against him, firstly let these so called investigative wings tell the nation how Wynter kabimba was cleared of all corruption charges? This satanic behaviour by the PF towards political opponents is a true indication that democracy in zambia is dead-Viva RB Viva HH, 2016 PF shopuld pack there ugly policies and leave office, we need laeders who will foster development projects that will benefit zambians.
Ati kufwa na no