LONDON High Court Judge, Peter Smith, has reserved a ruling on an application by the State to seize second Republican president, Frederick Chiluba’s Kabulonga house, which is alleged to have been purchased using public funds.
Judge Smith set the ruling for Monday because the Zambian Government was not ready with the evaluation of the house in question.
The house could not be seized because there was an affidavit filled in opposition. This was in the ongoing video link between Lusaka and London where Judge Smith was hearing submissions on the quantum payments for the 20 defendants found liable to have defrauded the country of public funds through the ZAMTROP account.
Judge Smith in the earlier proceedings increased Dr Chiluba’s liabilities to over US$58 million from the earlier $41 million and another $1,815,000, money owed to a boutique called Basile.
Former Zambia Security Intelligence Services (ZSIS) director general, Xavier Chungu, was liable to pay more than $58 million, former ministry of Finance permanent secretary, Stella Chibanda, also the same amount.
Access Financial Services (AFS) directors, Aaron Chungu’s liabilities were over $27 million while Faustine Kabwe owes the country more than $53 million.
Congolese, Raphael Soriano, known as ‘Katebe Katoto’s liabilities are more than $29 million from the previous $20 million.

Times

President Mwanawasa today held private talks with former British minister for Overseas Development Baroness Lynda Chalker who is also founder and chairperson of ‘Africa Matters’, Limited, an independent commercial consultancy
supporting private sector development in Africa.

The meeting took place at Intercontinental Hotel in London, United Kingdom.

President Mwanawasa’s closed-door meeting with Baroness Chalker this morning marked the end of his itinerary in the United Kingdom where he was among the leading
speakers at this year’s Africa Business Forum.

Baroness Chalker served  as minister for Overseas Development from July 1989 until
May 1997.

Currently she holds a number of non-executive directorships and is the first and so
far only woman to be appointed as non-executive director of Unilever Plc, for which
she first worked as a statistician at the beginning of her career.

While in the UK, President Mwanawasa also attended and addressed  the Zambia
Investor Forum organised by Merrill Lynch at Ironmonger’s Hall at Shaftbury Palace,
Barbican, London.

The President also held closed-door talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri
Musevenei and UK minister for Africa, Lord Triesman.

The hallmark of President Mwanawasa’s official trip to London was the signing of the
Zambia-UK Partnership Agreement that will see Zambia receive £40 million per year
for the next 10 years.

The delegation to London included foreign affairs minister Mundia Sikatana, commerce
minister Felix Mutati, his agriculture counterpart Ben Kapita, State House chief analyst for press and public relations David Kombe and other senior government officials.

President Mwanawasa is expected  to leave London for Lusaka this evening.

He arrives back home tomorrow morning. UK time, and is expected to touch down at
about 08:00 hours.

President Mwanawasa has expressed sorrow at the untimely death of Mr. Bwendo Mulengela and Ms. Margaret Tembo, mother to local government and  housing minister Sylvia Masebo.

Mr. Mulengela and Ms. Tembo died at the University Teaching Hospital on June 5 and June 7 at Care Business Clinic in Lusaka respectively.

In his letter to the widow, President  Mwanawasa said Mr. Mulengela will be remembered for his excellent performance as a lecturer at the University of Zambia
in the school of Literature and Languages.

The President said besides being an Elder at the University of Zambia Seventh Day
Adventist Church, Mr. Mulengela touched the lives of many young people.

And President Mwanawasa has described the late Mrs Margaret Tembo as a dedicated
hard working Zambian woman and mother, and an asset to the MMD party having been one of the founding members.

”I know what it means to lose a beloved one especially a mother, my prayer is that
the Lord God  Almighty will give you strength as you shoulder this big loss,” said
the President in a letter Ms. Masebo.”

Shoprite store on Lusaka’s Cairo Road has been gutted by fire.

The fire, which started around 17:50 hours from the back-store, swept through some parts of the first floor of the building.

By 20:30 hours, the Zambia National Service, National Airports Corporation and Fire Brigade were still struggling to find the means of gaining entry into the affected upper part of the building.

The fire fighting officers could not gain entry into the gutted part of the bulding
because they did not have enough oxygen reserves to avoid suffocation in putting off
the fire.

Zambia Police Service Spokesperson Bonnie Kapeso confirmed to ZANIS that the fire
fighters were still outside the building as they had not secured enough oxygen
reserves by 21:00 hours.

Mr Kapeso, however, indicated that the ground floor, which accommodates the
merchandise section, seemed not to have been affected by the fire.

Senior management officials from Shoprite Checkers, found at the scene, declined to
comment on the incident.

This is the second time Shoprite store on Lusaka’s Cairo road ahs been gutted by
fire in less than a year.

Education Minister, Geoffrey Lungangwa has called on teachers across the country to go for voluntray HIV conselling and testing to Know their HIV/AIDS status.

Proffessor Lungwagwa says the country is losing valuable manpower due to HIV/AIDS
because people wait until they are sick to go to the hospital.

He noted that VCT was an important  element in the fight against the pandemic as  it
is the entry point for prevention, treatment, care and support.

Professor Lungwangwa said this in Lusaka today in a speech read for him by his
deputy, Lucy Changwe,at celebrations to mark the Teachers Health Day in Lusaka
today.

He noted that the ministry of education is the largest employer adding that quality
education cannot be achieved without healthy teachers.

Professor Lungwangwa noted that the fight against HIV/AIDS cannot be achieved
through talking alone, but that there is need to take drastic and holistic actions
to save the next generation from the pandemic.

speaking at the same function, Director of Human resource and administration at the
ministry of eucation, Daniel  Bowasi said the the HIV’AIDS pandemic has continued to
take  heavy toll on humanity.

Mr Bowasi said in ordeer to effectively fight the pandemic, the ministry in 2006
launched an HIV/AIDS work place policy.

He noted that the policy has so far been comprehensive, as it covers all vital areas
of HIV/AIDS.

Mr Bowasi observed that the policy was a foundation for the prevention and care
programmes in the ministry and also sets the standard behaviour expected of all
employees.

He however said the policy can only be useful if it is widely dessiminated to all
employees in the ministry.
ZANIS

THE London High Court has increased former president Frederick Chiluba’s indebtedness to the Zambian Government to more than US$58 million from US$41 million after adding interest and costs.

This came to light yesterday during a video conference court hearing between Chikwa Court in Lusaka and the Royal Courts in London where Judge Peter Smith was hearing submissions on quantum payments for Chiluba and 19 others.

This is the case where they were found liable to have defrauded the Zambian Government of US$46 million. The increase in Chiluba’s indebtedness means that he has to pay back $58,293,106 to the Zambian Government.

The London court also increased former Zambia Security Intelligence Services director-general, Xavier Chungu’s indebteness to $58,112,727, while that of Access Financial Services director, Aaron Chungu was upped to US$27,193,136.50.

The submissions increased Lusaka businessman Faustin Kabwe’s indebtedness to US$53,757,867, while that of former ZCCM chairman and chief executive, Francis Kaunda went up to US$100,575.

In the same submissions, the indebtedness of Swiss tailor Basile Boutique went up by US$500,000. The money spent on Chiluba’s clothes was originally US$1,815,736.

Congolese businessman Raphael Soriano’s debt went up to US$29,609,502.

Judge Smith also ordered for the evaluation of Chiluba’s Kabulonga house, whose amount should not be part of the US$58 million.

The judge also dismissed Mr Kabwe’s application that he be allowed to get 2,000 Pounds per week from his assets because he did not justify how he was going to be using the money.

Judge Smith also observed that although Chiluba said money deposited in the Zamtrop account on his behalf was from well-wishers, he did not specify who the well wishers were.

“And as a result, the Zambian Government is entitled to possession of his property,” Judge Smith said.

The submissions continue today. Task Force on Corruption chairperson, Maxwell Nkole said the proceedings were open to the public and defendants based in Zambia.