MULENGA MUSONDA writes
A WESTERN Province provincial education officer and an acting senior accountant have denied four counts of corruption involving K400, 000 suspected to be proceeds from crime in the Choma Magistrates Court.
This is in a matter in which Stephen Chishiko 54 provincial education officer of Mongu is facing four counts of corrupt practices and abuse of authority of office.
Jointly charged together with him is Mainga Mulima 47 an acting senior accountant at Southern Province provincial education office of Southern Lodge who is facing two similar counts.
When the matter came up for plea before Resident Magistrate Ethel Phiri, Chishiko and Mulima denied the charge
Particulars of the offence are that in count 1, on dates unknown but between August 1 2014 and December 31 in the same year Chishiko and Mainga allegedly transferred K125, 000 to Chalimbana illegally.
In Count 2, the two are accused of willfully diverting K110, 000 from its intended purposes.
In Count 3 Chishiko is charged with abuse of authority of office.
It is alleged that on the mentioned dates the accused being a public officer in Choma abused his position by directing the Head Teacher of Macha Girls Secondary School to transfer K110, 000 into the provincial account.
In the last count Chishiko is accused of being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be from proceeds of crime.
It is alleged that Chishiko received K397, 680 into his personal account, money suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The matter has since been adjourned to August 26 and 27 for trial and the accused bonds were were extended.
