Lusaka lawyer Germano Kaulungombe and two others have appeared in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for allegedly obtaining K600,000 from five people by falsely pretending that they had plots for sale on the Baobab land.

Kaulungombe, 55, Stanley Tembo, a 50-year-old Legal Assistant, and Leonard Nyoni, a 37-year-old businessman, appeared before Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale yesterday and denied the charges.

In this matter, the trio are charged with six counts of forcible detainer and obtaining money by false pretence.

In the first count, it is alleged that between July 18 and 23, this year, Kaulungombe, Tembo and Nyoni, whilst acting together, had possession of farm number F/4300/B/2 Baobab area in a manner likely to cause breach of peace or reasonable apprehension of the peace against Joseph Chisaka, a person entitled by law to have possession of the said land.

In count two, the trio, on the same dates, allegedly obtained K200,000 cash from Ronnie Kamanya by falsely pretending that they had a plot for sale when in fact not.

And in count three, four, five and six, the trio allegedly obtained K100,000 cash from Dorothy Soko, Marson Moonga, Phillip Muyumbwana and Utembele Simwinga, respectively, by falsely pretending that they had plots for sale when in fact not.

When the matter came up for plea before magistrate Mwale, Tuesday, the three pleaded not guilty.

The matter has been adjourned to September 3, 2019.

According to a police statement issued recently, the three suspects were said to have swindled five National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) directors.

Zambia Police spokesperson Esther Katongo stated that the five directors reported to police that they had been swindled out of various amounts of money by Marshal Chambers, a law firm headed by Kaulungombe, on the pretext that there was land on sale.

“…Investigations revealed that the land in question belonged to Nyimba Investments and had not been offered for sale hence three suspects identified as Germiano Mutale Kaulungombe, Stanley Tembo and Leonard Mapulunga Nyoni were apprehended and jointly charged and arrested for one count of Forcible Detainer Contrary to section 87 and five counts of Obtaining Money by false pretences contrary to section 309 Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. We therefore appeal to all those that could have been swindled in respect to the said Baobab land to report to the Police,” stated Katongo.