Youth activist Gregory Chifire says he is ready to go to court and prove his corruption accusations against Housing and Infrastructure minister Ronald Chitotela, saying the court process will vindicate the minister if he is innocent.

On Saturday Chitotela used Facebook to issue a 24 hours ultimatum to Chifire, demanding an apology and retraction of the accusations from Chifire who alleged that the minister fraudulently acquiring a personal car from RDA resources.

But Chifire told News Diggers! on Monday that he was ready to go to court because he had documented proof.

“All I can say is that I have nothing personal with Mr [Ronald] Chitotela, I respect him as both my elder and government official. He came to my Facebook inbox, I didn’t respond because I realised that arguments on this matter will lead us nowhere, the only avenue to prove this matter is to go to court as he suggested. I don’t take what he said as a threat but as an invitation because I don’t budge to threats. That having been said, I’m ready to go to court and prove my ‘allegations’ because I know what I said is the truth. The court process actually will vindicate him if he is innocent,” Chifire said.

“But I’m not insane to wake up one morning to accuse an innocent person of corruption without proof. I am a skilled hunter, I know where to position my trap. I’m looking forward to that day in court because I have documented proof on this and many other questionable activities of misconduct.”

He said Chitotela must resign for engaging in corruption.

“Everyone at RDA knows about this, the ACC knows about this. I wish Mr Chitotela could show magnanimity and resign as opposed to waiting for the people of Zambia to force him out. If he thinks that I will be scared to go to court, he is wrong. I am resolved than ever before, to fight corruption. We cannot allow this in our country. The people of Zambia have suffered enough at the hands of the corrupt,” said Chifire.

“Corruption has killed more people than HIV/AIDS, hence the need to fight it tooth and nail. We need to change laws regarding punishment for corruption, the punishment for corruption must be capital punishment like for murder and aggravated robbery. It is a pity that under President [Edgar] Lungu’s administration, he has paralysed all the investigative wings of government. DEC is dead, so is the ACC. The ACC have been on Chitotela’s case for over a year, but nothing seems to come out. This time I and the people of Zambia shall fight this Corruption using all possible legal channels.”