Trial has begun with one witness in a matter where former First Lady Esther Lungu is slapped with five counts of theft and possession of Four Hundred Thousand dollars suspected to be proceeds of crime.
In this case, Mrs. Lungu is jointly charged with police officers James Phiri and Lee Chisulo, respectively.
Others in the case includes Kapembwa Lungu and Catherine Banda.
Ms. Elizerbeth Phiri, a witness has testified that in August 2022 she was invited at the former Head of State’s house Edgar Lungu.Ms. Phiri told the court that when she reached, Mr. Lungu started explaining that he had a US $ 4000 which he gave his wife Esther Lungu to keep.
She said Mr.Lungu explained that when he requested the money from her, she said that she gave Catherine Banda ( Mr.Lungu’s niece ) to keep but when the said Ms. Banda was asked to return the money, she allegedly revealed that she gave US $ 3000 to Ms. Phiri.
Ms.Phiri said she refused to have received such amount of money from her ( Ms. Banda ) adding that she has never touched such an amount in her life.
“I only know Catherine Banda as my client who came to seek spiritual healing because I am an herbalist, hence I cannot receive such an amount from her,” Ms.Phiri said.
She told the court that Mr.Lungu said that he did not believe that his niece really gave her such an amount because it was not adding up.
Ms.Phiri testified that after Mr.Lungu had left, Mrs. Lungu remained behind asking for her name and phone number.
Mrs. Lungu, said the witness, later told the officers that she looked confused and should be taken home.
After she was taken home, the following day in the morning around 08 :00 hours, Ms.Phiri received a phone call from Mrs.Lungu asking her to go at her apartment in Ibex, and she asked her daughter, Phahana Patel to escort her.
She told the court that when she reached Ibex with her daughter, Ms Lungu told her that she wants her money which she still denied having received from Catherine Banda.
Ms.Phiri said that Ms.Lungu told her to just Trial has begun with one witness in a matter where former First Lady Esther Lungu is slapped with five counts of theft and possession of Four Hundred Thousand dollars suspected to be proceeds of crime.
In this case, Mrs. Lungu is jointly charged with police officers James Phiri and Lee Chisulo, respectively.
Others in the case includes Kapembwa Lungu and Catherine Banda.
Ms. Elizerbeth Phiri, a witness has testified that in August 2022 she was invited at the former Head of State’s house Edgar Lungu.
Ms. Phiri told the court that when she reached, Mr. Lungu started explaining that he had a US $ 4000 which he gave his wife Esther Lungu to keep.
She said Mr.Lungu explained that when he requested the money from her, she said that she gave Catherine Banda ( Mr.Lungu’s niece ) to keep but when the said Ms. Banda was asked to return the money, she allegedly revealed that she gave US $ 3000 to Ms. Phiri.
Ms.Phiri said she refused to have received such amount of money from her ( Ms. Banda ) adding that she has never touched such an amount in her life.
“I only know Catherine Banda as my client who came to seek spiritual healing because I am an herbalist, hence I cannot receive such an amount from her,” Ms.Phiri said.
She told the court that Mr.Lungu said that he did not believe that his niece really gave her such an amount because it was not adding up.
Ms.Phiri testified that after Mr.Lungu had left, Mrs. Lungu remained behind asking for her name and phone number.
Mrs. Lungu, said the witness, later told the officers that she looked confused and should be taken home.
After she was taken home, the following day in the morning around 08 :00 hours, Ms.Phiri received a phone call from Mrs.Lungu asking her to go at her apartment in Ibex, and she asked her daughter, Phahana Patel to escort her.
She told the court that when she reached Ibex with her daughter, Ms Lungu told her that she wants her money which she still denied having received from Catherine Banda.
Ms.Phiri said that Ms.Lungu told her to just agree that Banda gave her the money and asked her what she ( Phiri ) bought using her money.
She told the court that the things Ms. Banda mentioned were a House in Libala, Canter, Toyota Runix and Anex cars which she claims were bought using her own money.
Ms.Phiri said that she was being forced to agree to everything with the officers threatening her together with her daughter that they were going to face the wrath of the law.
She further told the court that Mrs Lungu started called James Phiri , who was the driver, Kapambwe Lungu and Lee Chisulo and told them to go with her and bring all the above mentioned items which were allegedly suspected to have been bought using Mrs. Lungu’s money.
Ms. Phiri said that she got on a vehicle with Mr. Kapambwe with a pistol pointed at her and the driver was Mr. Phiri and went to get the canter in Chalala and drove it up to Lewanika mall, and then later saw her daughter Phahana Patel with her two vehicles which they also got from her.
“Ms.Lungu got two vehicles Runx and Anex with their white books belonging to my daughter and a title deed of my house in Libala and my Canter,” Ms.Phiri told the court.
She told the court that after getting the properties from them, they were released at mid night and reached home somewhere around 01:00 hours.
Ms. Phiri told the court that she again received a call from Mrs. Lungu inviting them home and when she went there with her daughter, Mrs. Lungu started telling them that her money was a lot and she cannot just lose it like that and later left them at her apartment in Ibex.
Mrs. Lungu later came back around 01: 00 hours with her lawyer and two copies for them to sign, she told the court.
“I begged her that my sight is poor at night so I cannot see properly maybe if I can look at it tomorrow in the morning and I also told her that am not educated and I will appreciate if you can read and interpret for me so that I can understand but she refused,” Ms. Phiri said.
The court heard that after the officers threatened her together with her daughter , she ended up signing the copies in duress before she and her daughter were released around 01:00 hours.
Ms. Phiri testified that after she recovered from her trauma, she started asking for advice from people explaining what happened to her and that is how she was advised to go to police headquarters where she was counselled.
agree that Banda gave her the money and asked her what she ( Phiri ) bought using her money.
She told the court that the things Ms. Banda mentioned were a House in Libala, Canter, Toyota Runix and Anex cars which she claims were bought using her own money.
Ms.Phiri said that she was being forced to agree to everything with the officers threatening her together with her daughter that they were going to face the wrath of the law.
She further told the court that Mrs Lungu started called James Phiri , who was the driver, Kapambwe Lungu and Lee Chisulo and told them to go with her and bring all the above mentioned items which were allegedly suspected to have been bought using Mrs. Lungu’s money.
Ms. Phiri said that she got on a vehicle with Mr. Kapambwe with a pistol pointed at her and the driver was Mr. Phiri and went to get the canter in Chalala and drove it up to Lewanika mall, and then later saw her daughter Phahana Patel with her two vehicles which they also got from her.
“Ms.Lungu got two vehicles Runx and Anex with their white books belonging to my daughter and a title deed of my house in Libala and my Canter,” Ms.Phiri told the court.
She told the court that after getting the properties from them, they were released at mid night and reached home somewhere around 01:00 hours.
Ms. Phiri told the court that she again received a call from Mrs. Lungu inviting them home and when she went there with her daughter, Mrs. Lungu started telling them that her money was a lot and she cannot just lose it like that and later left them at her apartment in Ibex.
Mrs. Lungu later came back around 01: 00 hours with her lawyer and two copies for them to sign, she told the court.
“I begged her that my sight is poor at night so I cannot see properly maybe if I can look at it tomorrow in the morning and I also told her that am not educated and I will appreciate if you can read and interpret for me so that I can understand but she refused,” Ms. Phiri said.
The court heard that after the officers threatened her together with her daughter , she ended up signing the copies in duress before she and her daughter were released around 01:00 hours.
Ms. Phiri testified that after she recovered from her trauma, she started asking for advice from people explaining what happened to her and that is how she was advised to go to police headquarters where she was counselled.
Do these people who write such an article call themselves journalists?
Its fast money for the publisher. He doesnt need to employ professionals and give them a pro’s salary because you readers will still turn up to read the rubbish. And there is no competition
Why publish such a poorly written article?
A lot of these upnd government ministers and senior leaders including their hh will die before this case is concluded. God does not favour evil hateful failures.
You wont be around to see that day
@Kaizar “Kanyenga-nyoko” Zulu: The only one who is on the way to the grave is your ugly and stinking ass. When you were using your tongue as toilet tissue wipe off the HIV infected seed that Mutawire was depositing on Esther, were you not aware that you were putting your useless life in jeopardy? Even if the STDs you have acquired from Mutawire do not get you first, the long residency in Chimbokaila that is going to start as soon as the police locate the hole you are hiding in, will finish you off. And that will be a good thing.
@Kaizar Zulu Ugly face, Mpuno Zibili hallucinating. Careful there in exile, they will bundle you up and fly you to Zambia your worst destination. If I were you, I would seek mental treatment and find something better to do.
I’ve always wondered why people yearn so much for political power and eventually end up sorry. I also wonder why these people aren’t kind to those below them. Who bewitches these people? I always advise that when you’re in public office, everything you do is in the public domain. It’s distressing and shameful to read such things, especially that even a lawyer was involved
This article is so awfully written.
LT’s level of journalism is getting worse by the day.
A child writes better than his.
Liboma, I totally agree with your observation. Why does LT publish such poorly written articles. It seems LT will soon be a platform for quack writers to publish poorly written articles.
They do not have editors and sub-editors. Proof-readers too
Cage her she is a thief like her husband. Kaizar I’m coming for you in Zimbabwe. You are infected with rabies and hallucinating like a rabid dog.
@Jimmy: I am flying into Zimbabwe to help you hunt for this animal. We are going to catch, cage and carry it back to Zambia, where it will be chained in Chimbokaila for long term residency.
I am told they found some of those thousands of US$ grudas hidden in Esther Lungu’s nose! The size of those nostrils and how they curve outwards like that, I am not surprised they are a scene of a crime.
…………
This is sad reading indeed……..the subject matter and the journalistic work……..
Lungus pension was enough to live a comfortable life, then you go and start acquiring wealth you can’t account for …… ??
Africans seem to start stealing as soon as they see money around them…….even if they don’t need to……..
Africans Yes including HH your idol
@One eyed Critique: HH has never worked a day in the government of Zambia; he could never have looted it. He has come into the government at a point where Chipuba, Satan, Banda and Mutawire have looted it to the bone. He has come, as did Mwanawassa, to try and fix the problem. The fellow is doing this free of charge, as he does not receive a salary from GRZ. He does not even live at State House. HH has worked for a private accountancy firm all his life. If he stole a penny, he would be caught before the day was over. The man made his money legally, even if I think ruthlessly, since to have 1 million cows, you have to buy them from so many desperate people; His issues are our internal Tonga problems therefore.
One eyed Critique
Prove HH stole…….
He said he will hive you a 3 bed fully furnished house
No one up to know , yet some of you don’t have houses in zambia
This is a weak case. However, if its proved Lungu’s wife stole from the government via the husband, she must face justice !! Then again, Lungu “appears” to have financially benefited from external private donors who made directly donations to PF as a party.
All past presidents and the present president have done this on funds directly donated to their political parties from foreign donors. KK got money for UNIP from Saddam Hussein. Chiluba put some money donated to MMD in the Zamtrop GRZ Account in London and claimed it was his personal. Mwanawasa got money from a Swedish Business Mogul for MMD. And it has continued up to present day.
@@ OBSERVER
I WAS AT THE CORE OF GOVERNMENT AFTER GRADUATING FROM UNZA IN 1985 AND LEFT IN 2011. YOUR STATEMENTS ARE VERY FACTUAL. SADDAM MADE HUGE DONATIONS TO UNIP WHICH LED TO KAUNDA NAMING THE 3 WAY MOTORWAY IN LUSAKA AS SADDAM HUSSEIN BOULEVARD. BOTH THE CHILUBA AND MWANAWASA ARE TRUE AND I GUESS THIS IS WHY HH CANNOT GO AFTER LUNGU BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE ECL GOT HIS MONEY. THE BEST HH CAN DO IS TO GO FOR THE WIFE. IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT ECL EMBEZZLED GOVERNMENT FUNDS, BY THIS TIME HIS IMMUNITY WOULD BE STRIPPED AS HH AND THE WHOLE UPND FAMILY HATE ECL TOO MUCH.
#INDEPENDENT OBSERVER …. or anyone out there.
Can someone give an update to what happened to the funds Chiluba put in the Zamtrop Account using Xavier Chungu who was the head of OP when this money saga happened.
And somebody got a paltry US$300,000 for campaigns with a pledge to return KCM to Agarwal and boom the Indian is now in charge.
@Chamba Valley: You are talking rubbish. Between the reign of Kaunda, and that of Mutawire, there was a 25 year gap. Mutawire was so poor that he stole from his client, and was disbarred by the legal association of Zambia. Mutawire entered the presidency with no money whatsoever. Rupiah Banda, another corrupt foreigner who became president, had to help Mutawire get money for his run in 2015. Mutawire left the presidency rich to the teeth, and having saddled the country with $31 billion in debt. This is where Mutawire got the money from. Yes, the case is easy to prove, and Esther will go down with her ugly and looting husband.
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All political parties get financial backing from supporters and lobbyists……….
If the lungus were using money donated to PF, trust me, they would be getting crucified by now……….plenty hungry hyenas still in PF.
Many in PF feel left out of the looting festival and would not let lungu eat party money.
The lungus can’t account for this money nor the other wealth they have aquirred.
Right now lungu has immunity and some very suspect deal RB arranged for him to give up power smoothly…………
Those around him don’t have this immunity.
SPAKA
We don’t have a law in Zambia that forces a president to disclose private donations. It is very easy for a president to lobby foreign funds as a Trustee of that Political – thereafter deposit those funds to where he wants it to go. This is why Levy and Nchito failed to pin down Chiluba. In the end, Mwanawasa asked Chiluba to pay back half the money in exchange of dropping all charges. If I privately donate $2m to either HH, Lungu or Mmembe as Trustees for UPND, PF or SP, they can do whatever they want with it. So, the question that people in PF will crucify Lungu for the privately donated funds to PF is 100% non-starter. Is there anyone right now trying to crucify HH for donations to UPND by foreign entities? NO! HH can do whatever he wants with it !!!
I have followed exchanges between @@SPAKA and @@INDEPENDENT OBSERVER over some long time………..
@@ SPAKA is always the loser because for him its about attack, attack and attack…and not thinking through………..
@@INDEPENDENT OBSERVER puts across valid points, logic and context
Independent observer
FJT stole , plain and simple , there was no hiding behind MMD…or money given to MMD…….
that’s why his properties were forfeited to the state, including blocks of flats in Belgium.
Same with the lungus. The money they have is from corruption……….
Do you think the miles sampas or even Davis mwilas would let lungu get away with PF money ????
You underestimate a human who has seen money.
As for lungu being made accountable, the days of reckoning in court for lungu are approaching.
………
Independent observer
As a add on………
I dont think a president would find stealing donated party funds as appertising…………
There are too many hungry mouths in the party, and the wage bill for the party caders is too high…………
Why would a president steal funds donated to his party when he has the whole treasury to steal from and the whole GRZ to reap corruption
from ,???
Not at all.
SPAKA
Which format is easy to use to steal money if you are the President (1 or 2) ?
1. Five different campaign donors go to State-House and they decide to personally donate $1m each towards your campaign funds ( And it’s between you the president and the donors ). Maybe they give you this money while you are abroad and as a president your suitcases cannot be searched in and out of airport.
or
2. Asking a government official to assist you embezzle the nations exchequer. Because as president you will need someone to assist you on your directives and leave traces behind that can be found one day.
SPAKA
I have donated money to the UK Labour Party & USA Democratic Party. It’s much easy to steal campaign finance funds – than from Government. Donald Trump is raising & stealing campaign funds right now for his legal fees.. I just gave you an example in my previous post. If I go to HH, Lungu or Mmembe to personally donate $2m campaign funds, because I support them, they can instruct me to which account I must transfer my donations. After that they can use the money. I will have no obligation to question where the money ends up. FTJ store MMD campaign and government funds. Then he put both monies into Zamtrop Account which was the OP Foreign Bank Account for the Zambian Government. Which part have you not understood ?
@ SPAKA is dull. I say Option 1 is easier, stealing campaign donations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
………..
Party donations from who ever are nothing compared with the amount of money surrounding GRZ……….
That money is miniscule compared, and……….
You think an african president worries about stealing in the name of party donations………you are naive.
Chipolopolo boys……..
None of you have any idea of amount of money around GRZ…………
Party donations are peanuts………
And again, if you think the hungry hyenas in PF or MMD or UPND would let the president chew donated funds while they don’t have………..you all need a reality check.
If ministers like luato or citizens like faith musonda can be found with millions , ………how can it be easier to steal party donated funds ????
When in fact no person has been found to steal party funds, while in almost all cases of forfeiture it is unaccounted wealth not tallying with earnings….corruption…..nothing to do with party.
I didn’t wish to comment on the case itself but it seems I have to. The witness has stated that ECL told her that he gave money to his wife, that has already taken care of the source. The accused got money from ECL, ECL isn’t in the dock so he can’t be taken to task. The girl hasn’t denied taking the money. US$400,000 isn’t a small amount, it just can’t disappear. Because of the hatred that those in charge have for ECL and his family, they’ve failed to ask the young lady about the whereabouts of the money. Either they’ve agreed to share the loot or they’re just plain styupid. That lady will never have any peace, she’ll end up badly. You can’t take that kind of money and put the owner in trouble, even if the person were a thief. Don’t engineer cases
The case has nothing to do with $400K, but theft of MV and title deeds.
This is the kind of thinking that’s bringing Zambia down, and unfortunately it’s at the highest level. A person walks into the police station and reports that her property has been stolen. A normal police officer would ask the circumstances under which that theft occurred. Then the complainant explains that she was given US$400,000 by a known person for safe custody and that the owner of the money now wants it back and that she’s unable to return it. It’s only instructions from a vengeful dimwit that would cause such an officer to mobilize others and get to the residence of the accused with armoured vehicles and try to break the gate to have access to her privacy. Those that scheme don’t think properly so they omit some details
Got a headache after reading this article written by a baboon, this is what PF would together with Kaiser Zulu.
It’s time to stop reading articles from LT…..poor journalism from the shateen
Pan yo Pako. Eeeembwa
Let’s trade insights not insults bloggers…I beseech you! Otherwise from what we’ve seen so far, this case is going nowhere! So much hype n hullabaloo about these so called corruption cases but nothing to show by way of any serious convictions!
As for ba LT…maybe try writing mu chibemba or any other local languages!
Its not about using local language or Foreign language. If you are trained you will report logically regardless of the language used. And professionally. Who What Where When Why and How are principles of reporting in any language
Its not about using local language or Foreign language. If you are trained you will report logically regardless of the language used. And professionally. Who What Where When Why and How are principles of reporting in any language