Developing Story: Witness testifies in case of alleged abuse of office involving ex-Secretary to Treasury, Yamba

A witness has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Court that the office of the Secretary to the Treasury was allocated a motor vehicle by the National Authorising Office, which was used by former Secretary to the Treasury, Fredson Yamba, for official duties.

Schofred Makwenda, 46, a transport officer at the Ministry of Finance and National Planning testified that when he checked in the motor vehicle inventory for the Ministry, he established that the motor vehicle did not appear in the inventory.

“Of the two vehicles, the GRZ vehicle was assigned to the Secretary to the Treasury and it was usable. Fredson Yamba was the Secretary to the Treasury at that time,” he said.

Makwenda was testifying in a matter in which a coordinator at the National Authorising Office to the European Development Fund, Chasiya Kazembe, and two others are facing seven counts of conspiring to defraud the government and abuse of authority of office among other charges.

Kazembe is jointly charged with Lusaka Lawyer Bwalya Chiti and former Project Officer at the Ministry of Health, Mwansa Chitoshi.

He testified that from 2019 when he joined the Ministry of Finance and National Planning he found two vehicles that were being used at the office of the Secretary to the Treasury. The first one was a Mazda BT50 registration number GRZ 465 CP and the second one Toyota Prado registration number BAK449.

“After serving the Ministry for about three months, I made an inquiry from Chamagolo on when the Prado was last serviced because he had not made the request for its serving. I was informed by Boyd Chamagolo that the Prado did not belong to the Ministry of Finance, it belonged to National Authorizing Office and, therefore, they are responsible for its servicing and insurance,” he said.

In cross examination, asked if Yamba used the motor vehicle for official duties, the witness responded in the affirmative.

Asked on who was in charge of managing the said motor vehicle, Makwenda said National Authorising Office.

Further asked if he was aware that Yamba was the National Authorising Officer, the witness responded in the negative.

It is alleged in count one that Kazembe, Chitoshi and Chiti between June 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together, did conspire by deceit to defraud the government of the Republic of Zambia of the sum of United States Dollars Eight Hundred Thousand (US$ 800, 000).

In count two, it is alleged that Kazembe between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020 in Lusaka, being a public officer namely a Coordinator at National Authorising Office of the European Development Fund (NAO-EDF), under the Ministry of Finance did abuse the authority of office by using her position or office in the performance of her functions to obtain an advantage or benefit for Fredson Yamba by allocating a motor vehicle to him from National Authorising Office of the European Development Fund.

Trial continues on July 26, 2023.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.