SOLDIER, COPS CHARGED OVER US$160, 000 THEFT FROM KAMBWILI

A ZAMBIA Army soldier and two police officers have been charged with six people who were initially arrested for alleged theft of US$160, 000 from National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili’s house in Lusaka. The soldier has been identified as Jacob Sinadambwe of Arakan Barracks and husband of Esther Mumeka, Mr. Kambwili’s maid who was the second person to be arrested and charged over the theft while the police officers have been identified as Ian Kalunga, a sergeant based at police headquarters and Daniel Zimba, a retired officer of Manchinchi Road in Northmead, Lusaka. This came to light yesterday when all the nine accused persons denied the charge before Lusaka Magistrate Nthandose Chabala. Other accused persons are Rodney Ntanga, 47, a gardener of Kamwala South, George Bwalya, 49, a driver of Hellen Kaunda, Millan Chembe, 35, a security man of Garden House, and Charles Kamutengo, 54, a gardener of Woodlands – all employees of Mr. Kambwili. The other one is 23-year-old student Stacey Jane Jones of Rockfield Chalala and a close friend of Mr. Kambwili’s daughter, Chanda.    In the first count Jones, Kalunga, Zimba, and Sinadambwe have been charged with theft contrary to Section 272 of the Penal Code and particulars of offence are that between December 14 and 27, 2020 while acting with others they stole US$160, 000 property of Mr. Kambwili. In count two Ntanga, Mumeka, Bwalya, Chembe, and Kamutengo have been charged with theft by servant contrary to Sections 272 and 278 of the Penal Code and particulars of offence are that between the same dates while acting with others they stole US$ 160, 000 belonging to Mr. Kambwili, their employer. The case comes up on March 1, 2021 for mention and trial has been set for March 15, 2021.  Ms. Chabala has granted Ntanga, Mumeka, and Zimba cash bail of K5, 000 each with two sureties working for reputable organisations within Lusaka who will be bound in the sum of K30, 000 in their own recognizance while the rest are on police bond. According to a source close to the case, after allegedly stealing the portable safe containing the cash, some of the accused persons took it to Mumeka’s home in Arakan Barracks in the hope that police could not search the army premises. The source said the people who got the safe lied to Sinadambwe and Mumeka that Mr. Kambwili’s daughter Chanda had lost the key to the safe and wanted it to be opened but Sinadambwe allegedly refused to keep it in his house.  The source said it was at that point that Jones suggested that the safe be taken to Chilenje Township where it was cut open. He added that after getting wind of the money haul, Kalunga and Zimba allegedly extorted money from some of the accused persons on pretext that they were investigating them.