AMOS Chanda’s co-accused in a corruption case Walid El Nahas yesterday showed willingness to turn himself into a state witnesses against President Edgar Lungu’s former special assistant for press and public relations.
El Nahas, a former chairman of Intelligent Mobility Solutions board is jointly charged with Chanda and former Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) Zindaba Soko for corrupt practices with a public officers.
Chanda and Soko are charged with corrupt practices by a public officer and possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime involving US$11,000 and US$10,000.
After a hearing in the matter yesterday, El Nahas catapulted of court and engaged state prosecutor Sipholiano Phiri in a conversation indicating that he wanted to be turned into a State witness.
Phiri was interested in El Nahas’ suggestion and asked him if they could talk in the car park.
Before Phiri could get hold of El Nahas the latter hurriedly got into his vehicle and sped off.
When contacted for a comment in relation to Nahas’ decision Phiri said he could not state his position with regards to El Nahas’ suggestion as he did it out of frenzy.
“I cannot make a decision in my individual capacity on Walid’s offer. The accused decision was made out of anger.” Said Phiri
Ealier, a witness informed the court that on July 19, 2019 he was approached by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers who wanted to know the location and ownership of two properties that he had worked on in Kafue.
Gabriel Mushinge, 52, of Chilanga said after the officers phoned him, he went to their offices and he was interviewed in relation to two pieces of land.
“They wanted me to assist them know where exactly the properties are located and the person who owned them. I told them that I did not know the person who owned the properties because my job ends at producing a layout and I handed over to the council.”
Mushinge said DEC officers also asked him to give them a print out of the layout, which he did.
He added that the officers asked him to give them estimates of the dimensions of those properties and he complied.
” I produced a map which showed the dimensions. There were two properties namely HV/P/58 and HV/P/59 in Kafue. They told me they wanted to establish who owned them and where they were located,” he said.
Mushinge said the officers had ealier gone to Kafue District Council to make an inquiry when Petersen Mvula, a freelance property layout consultant, told them that he (Mushinge) had worked on the said layout and would know who could be the owners of the properties.
He said after he printed out the layout, he signed it, adding that dimensions of the two properties in question and handed it over to the officers.
“I worked with Mvula. On the layout initiated by members of Ministry of Agriculture in Kafue District. They were people I tought how to produce the layouts upon the request of the council secretary when they wanted to be allocated the properties,” Mushinge said.
During cross examination by the accuseds’ lawyers, Jonas Zimba ,Willis Muhanga and Kennedy Mambwe Mushinge said he was not a registered surveyor and was not registered with any regulatory institution.
He denied being an expert in surveying properties.
In re-examination, Mushinge told the court since he was not a registered surveyor or registered with any institution, his work had to undergo a process with some government institutions including the surveyor General for approval.
Trial continues on May 11.
© Kalemba 16, 2020
