Former Community Development and Social Services Minister Emerine Kabanshi has been slapped with two counts of wilful failure to comply with the law or guideline in relation to the Social Cash Transfer programme.

And Kabanshi’s lawyer Katindo Mwale has asked the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for more time to study the charge sheet in order to advise his client appropriately.

Kabanshi was arrested last month by a joint investigations team comprising the Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

She has been charged with two counts of wilful failure to comply with the law, applicable procedure or guidelines relating to procurement, contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012 of the laws of Zambia.

It is alleged in the first count that, between January 1, 2017, and August 21, 2017, Kabanshi, being a Minister in the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, did wilfully fail to comply with the law, applicable procedure or guidelines relating to procurement in engaging Zambia Postal Services Corporation as a payment service provider for the Social Cash Transfer programme.

It is further alleged in the second count that, between August 21, 2017, and April 26, 2018, in Lusaka, Kabanshi, being a Minister of Community Development and Social Services, wilfully failed to comply with the law, applicable procedure or guidelines relating to procurement in amending the contract between the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and the Zambia Postal Services Corporation for the Social Cash Transfer programme.

And when the matter came up before Lusaka Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale, Wednesday, the State substituted its indictment another after the Court observed that the earlier document had some omissions.

After the indictment was substituted, Kabanshi’s lawyer, Katindo Mwale, applied for an adjournment, saying he needed more time to study the indictment in order to advise his client appropriately.

“Since we have just received the charge sheet, we need some time to study it and advise our client appropriately at the next hearing. In that instance, we apply for an adjournment,” submitted Mwale.

The State did not object to the application for an adjournment.

The matter comes up on June 26 for possible plea.