THE mystery surrounding the disappearance of the Nakonde District Commissioner’s official vehicle has finally reached the courtroom, with three government-employed drivers and a Tanzanian businessman now facing charges of theft.
The four, Tambulani Nyasulu, 40, Denis Ponde, 32, Prince Chiluba Chitalu, 32, and Selemani Muhammad, 42, appeared before magistrate Faith Mkandawire yesterday and denied stealing the government vehicle worth K1,188,312.
The Land Cruiser went missing between May 6 and May 12 this year while parked at the Nakonde Civic Centre, with keys reportedly left at the reception where security officers were on duty.
Nyasulu, one of the accused, is no stranger to breaking the law as he was convicted and fined for trafficking undocumented Somalis using a Ministry of Health ambulance, turning a government life-saving vehicle into a border-jumping transport, an act that earned him a conviction, a fine and a one-way ticket out of civil service.
His co-accused, Ponde and Chitalu, are still enjoying taxpayer salaries as government drivers under the Ministry of Community Development and Ministry of Education respectively, while Muhammad is a businessman based across the border in Tanzania’s TAZARA area.
Chete FM reports that all four suspects have applied for bail, with the court expected to rule on the application today.
Trial has been set to begin on July 14, but up to now, the vehicle remains missing leaving more questions than answers.
By George Musonda
Kalemba July 2, 2025
