FORMER Energy Regulation Board chief executive officer Butler Sitali has been veered off the prison path by the Anti- Corruption Commission after it dropped charges of corruption against him.
The ACC has discontinued criminal proceedings against Sitali by way of nolle prosequi.
In this matter Sitali was charged with corrupt practices before the Economic and Financial Crimes Court.
The former ERB boss was accused of greasing the palms of Emmanuel Mengo, an office assistant at ERB with K500 in order to obtain documents relating to the revision of allowances and minutes of the 24th meeting of finance, human resource and administration board held on June 17, 2011 and interim performance management board allowances for July 2011 without authorisation from ERB.
In his defense Sitali said he was fired from the energy regulating body on flimsy grounds of ethnicity and being a UPND sympathiser.
Sitali in his defense before principal resident Magistrate Sylvia Munyinya Sitali said prior to his sacking, he was accused of leaking information to the UPND after Monze member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu raised a point of order in parliament questioning why the ERB had increased the number of its board members.
When the case came up for continued defense today the State said the Director of Public Prosecutions had withdrawn charges against the accused pursuant to section 88(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
The lawyer who is representing himself said he was not protesting against the DPP’s decision.
Magistrate Munyinya granted the application by the State and discharged Sitali.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba May 27, 2024.
