Mayor asked for ‘offering’, witness tells court

CHINTU MALAMBO writes LUSAKA mayor Miles Sampa has on several occasions asked me to give him ‘offerings’ for his personal use but I would always tell him to request for those ‘offerings’ officially, former Lusaka City Market Manager, Mwenya Matafwali has claimed. This is in a matter where Mr Sampa has countersued Mr Matafwali for […]

Mayor asked for ‘offering’, witness tells court
CHINTU MALAMBO writes LUSAKA mayor Miles Sampa has on several occasions asked me to give him ‘offerings’ for his personal use but I would always tell him to request for those ‘offerings’ officially, former Lusaka City Market Manager, Mwenya Matafwali has claimed. This is in a matter where Mr Sampa has countersued Mr Matafwali for defamation of character in the Lusaka High Court for accusing him of asking for K20, 000 from the City Market money for his personal use. Initially, Mr Matafwali sued Mr Sampa and the Zambia Daily Mail newspaper for defamation of character after they allegedly accused him of stealing K12 million market funds. Mr Matafwali in his statement of claim, alleged that by letter dated April 2 2020, Mr Sampa wrote to the Lusaka City Council town clerk and stated in part that City market generated a total revenue of K13,626,242.12 but only a total  of K60, 000.00 was remitted to the Lusaka City council main accounts at Civic Centre. He wants the court to grant him an interim injunction to restrain Mr Sampa and the Daily Mail whether by themselves or their agents from further publishing the said words or any similar libel against him. But Mr Sampa in his defence and counter claim, stated that he would show at trial that Mr Matafwali also defamed him when he maliciously caused to be published in the media that he had demanded payment of K20, 000 for personal use from the city market funds. He stated that by reason of the said statement by Mr Matafwali, he has suffered loss, damages and exemplary damages . Mr Sampa is also counterclaiming damages, exemplary damages for defamation of character, costs and any reliefs that the court may deem fit. He stated that he would tell the court that it was in order, for the LCC not to renew Mr Matafwali ‘s contract of employment.  Mr Sampa stated that he would aver at trial that Mr Matafwali had indeed failed to account for the money collected from the market. And now, Mr Matafwali in his reply and defence, denied that the money had been mismanaged as claimed by Mr Sampa. “The plaintiff will aver at trial that he has not failed to account for the monies collected at the Lusaka City Market for the financial year December 31 2019,” Mr Matafwali said. He stated that he had not put the name of the mayor into disrepute or public scandal but that Mr Sampa was the one who put his name (Matafwali) into disrepute. Mr Matafwali claimed that Mr Sampa had on several occasions asked him to give him ‘offerings’ for his personal use but the requests were declined. He stated that he would always tell Mr Sampa to request for those ‘offering’ officially, which he had not done to date. The Sun