A station manager at Yatsani Radio Maria has been dragged to the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing over K11,000 belonging to the station.

In this matter, Patson Semba, 38, is facing one count of theft by servant.

Particulars of the offence allege that on April 26, last year, Semba being employed by Radio Maria as station manager, stole K11,133, which came into his possession by virtue of his employment, the property of Yatsani Radio Maria, his employer.

When the matter came up for allocation before chief resident magistrate Lameck Mwale, Tuesday, Semba, who is on police bond, was not before court.

Magistrate Mwale allocated the matter to magistrate Rachel Mwansa where Semba would appear for plea.
Meanwhile, Lusaka magistrate Alice Walusiku has set March 10, this year, as date for ruling on case or no case to answer in a matter where Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Colonel Dexter Maseka is charged with perjury for allegedly lying before court that he didn’t know anything about properties allegedly belonging to former ZAF commander, Eric Chimese in Ibex Hill.

This was after the State closed its case.

In this matter, Maseka, a 43-year-old procurement officer of Chamba Valley, is charged with one count of Perjury but had pleaded not guilty.

Particulars of the offence allege that on July 9, 2019 in Lusaka, Maseka gave false information to magistrate Nsunge Chanda that he knew nothing relating to the alleged Lt Gen Chimese’s properties situated in Ibex along Twin Palm road, when in fact not.

When the matter came up, Monday, for re-examination of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) investigation officer who was on stand, the State informed the court that it had nothing in re-examination and that it was closing its case in the matter.

The defence then informed the court that it would file its written submissions within five days while the State would respond after five days.

Magistrate Walusiku then set March 10 as the date for ruling on case or no case to answer.

Previously, Mirriam Mubialelwa, a senior investigations officer, testified that in July last year, DEC received information alleging that Lt Gen Chimese had engaged in some illegal activities.
She said among the allegations raised were that Lt Gen Chimese was trying to conceal properties in Ibex Hill where he built a single story house and nine flats, among others.

Mubialelwa told the court that DEC later received information that furniture in the nine flats was being moved.

She added that this development prompted the commission to launch investigations to establish the owner of the Ibex Hill properties.

The State witness told the court that this was because Lt Gen Chimese alleged that the house and the nine flats belonged to Chita Lodges.

Mubialelwa said during investigations, she interviewed ZAF Major Cephas Mudaala who informed her that he was a project manager at the properties from 2012 to 2014.
She said Maj Mudaala said in 2014, he travelled to South Africa to attend a training course and handed over supervision of works at the Ibex properties to Col Maseka.

Mubialelwa said on January 2, this year, she called Col Maseka to state the role he played on the said properties and he said that he never worked at the properties.
She said after further interrogations on a later date, Col Maseka informed the investigations officers that he fixed aluminium windows and helped correct some sewer pipes at the Ibex Hill properties.
Mubialelwa testified that when Col Maseka appeared before Magistrate Chanda, he gave a contrary statement regarding the Ibex Hill properties purporting that he never knew anything about the Ibex Hill properties.

“During pre-trial, Col Maseka maintained that he fixed aluminium windows at the Ibex Hill properties,” said the witness.