YAMBA , MALANJI PLEAD NOT GUILTY
Former Secretary to the Treasury FREDSON YAMBA and former Foreign Affairs Minister JOSEPH MALANJI have pleaded NOT guilty to ten counts of Willful failure to comply with procedure and being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of cr
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Mr. YAMBA and Mr. MALANJI took plea before Lusaka Magistrate JENNIFER BWALYA.
This was after the State submitted an amended indictment.
In this matter, Mr YAMBA is accused of having failed to follow procedure in relation to the buying of an estate in Turkey.
Mr. MALANJI is accused of being in possession of houses, a hotel and Helicopter, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Earlier the Economic and Financial Crimes court dismissed an application by the defence for Constitutional reference on account that it was frivolous.
Magistrate BWALYA said she cannot refer the matter to the Constitution Court on account that the indictment has insufficient details.
She said this is because the missing details in the indictment are the ones that the state will be called upon to provide evidence.
Magistrate BWALYA further warned the defence against delaying the Court process by making applications.
She said the accused deserve a speedy trial in the matter.
And, Former ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary EMMAMNUEL PAMU said he authorised payment for the purchase of the estate in Turkey based on the information which he had at the time.
Dr. PAMU said through his interaction with the Drug Enforcement Commission -DEC and others, he came to learn that there was something wrong with the transaction.
This is in a matter where Mr. MALANJI and Mr. YAMBA are charged with ten counts of being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime and Willful failure to comply with procedure regarding the buying of property in Turkey.
During cross examination, Dr. PAMU said the officers who signed for the authorization of payment did not commit any offence at the time.
He further agreed that the Auditor General did not find anything wrong with the transaction.
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