By LUCY PHIRI
THE court has added more counts to Ndozo Lodge’s proprietor Chrint Sichamba, his wife and son of corruption involving over K781 million and more than US$10 million.
This was after the state submitted an amended indictment to the court in which 115 more counts were added to the 15 which the accused were facing.
State prosecutor, Edwin Mbewe said since the court has added more charges, the accused persons are now facing 130 counts of possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
In this matter, Sichamba, wife Eudora Nambela and his son David Sichamba are charged with corruption involving over K781 million and more than US$10 million.
However, the defence being represented by Mr Willis Muhanga raised a preliminary issue stating that they just highlighted some issues to the state that number of counts are duplicating words for words.
“We just highlighted these issues to the state, coming back and adding, there is no count three, and numbers are not in order and create confusion, number of counts are duplicated words for words, counts 38 and 39 are the same, counts 48 and 49, 55,56,57,58 are all duplicating,’’ he said.
Mr Muhanga also urged that the state should reduce the number of counts.
“The state should reduce the number of counts. They are not drafted in a logical manner, they are now 130, they need to put their house in order,’’ Mr Muhanga said.
But the court ruled that the state should help the court in amending the indictment so that those duplicating charges may be arranged.
In response, the state said they have noted the typos in terms of skipping number three and on the view of the charges, they believe that all charges are different.
“Go and sort out this, I will be able to read the 130 counts and continue with trial, go and clean out your indictment, and let it have one type of style, not the way it is,’’ said magistrate Irene Wishimanga.
Details in all the counts are that Sichamba between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2021 allegedly did possess properties ranging from bare land, double and single storey buildings, houses, flats, warehouse, shops, office space, chicken run, and piggery and fish ponds. These properties are valued at K287.2 million and are all located in Lusaka and Chilanga districts.
He also possessed K11 million and US$5.4 million in his bank account domiciled at Investrust Bank PLC and Standard Chartered Bank suspected to be proceeds of crime.
