PIA board members prejudiced criminal case – witness

OLIVER SAMBOKO writes@sunzambian PENSION and Insurance Authority (PIA) board members took a position prejudicial to the interest of thestate in the criminal case involving three senior members of PIA, the Lusaka Magistrate’s court heardyesterday.This is in a matter where Registrar of PIA Christopher Mapani, Deputy Registrar Titus Nkhwale andManager Compliance and Insurance Nicholas Mbuya are facing two counts of abuse of authority of office.Testifying in the matter, state witness Noel Mwanza, 42, a prosecutor from the National ProsecutionsAuthority (NPA) told the court that on June, 8, 2020, NPA held pre-trial for two cases including the oneinvolving Mr Mapani and two other at Twangale Lodge in Chilanga.He said among the participants of the pre-trial was the DPP and other senior state advocates at which PIAboard Chairperson Petronella Mwangala and board secretary Mrs Kabisa Ngwila was also invited as witnessamong others drawn from the Ministry of Finance, directors of Ultimate Insurance and PIA.He testified that on June, 12, 2020, Ms Mwangala acompaned by her board secretary came through forpre-trial.Mr Mwanza said that at the same trial session, Ms Mwangala informed the meeting that she had broughtwith her an institutional lawyer identified as Kaumbu Mwondela.He said when the NPA was preparing the witness for the trial, it had difficulties with PIA as they had takena position prejudicial to the interest of the state leading to the board chair being warned that she could beco-charged in the matter.Mr Mwanza also said he was surprised that the lawyer who came to the pre- meeting as PIA lawyer wasnow the lead lawyer for the accused from the same institution who were now before court.Mapani and two others are alleged to have approved the appointment of Tobias Milambo as chiefexecutive officer of Ultimate Insurance, an act which is contrary to Insurance Act number 27 of 1997of theLaws of Zambia.It is alleged in the first count that Mapani, Mbiya and Mkhwale between January 1, 2018 and March 30this year directly and indirectly abused their positions by approving Mr Malambo as the principal officerfor Ultimate Insurance Company Limited.The arbitrary act was prejudicial to the rights or interest of the Government.In count two, it is alleged that the three accused persons directly and indirectly abused their positions byissuing a 2020 Insurers licence to Ultimate Insurance Company Limited. The Sun