Two Zambia Police officers have appeared in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for corrupt practices involving unspecified amounts of money.

The two, Dennis Kayombo Mano and Elias Mutondo, are also facing a charge of corrupt practices involving K5,000, which they allegedly received as gratification from a Lusaka businessman, Hendricks Nyambe, to have his theft charge dropped.

It is alleged in count one, that Dennis Kayombo and Elias Mutondo on May 4, 2018, in Lusaka, being police officers in the Zambia Police Service, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, corruptly solicited unspecified amounts of cash gratification from Hendricks Nyambe as an inducement to have the charge of theft against him dropped and released from police custody, a matter or transaction, which concerned the Zambia Police Service, a public body.

And in count two, it is alleged that accused number two, Elias Mutondo on the same date, being a police officer in the Zambia Police Service, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, corruptly received K5,000 cash gratification from Nyambe to have his charge dropped and released from police custody.

Nyambe, who is the complainant in this matter, is alleged to have given the two police officers money in order to drop his theft charges where he allegedly swindled ADD leader Charles Milupi.

It is alleged that Nyambe, a Director of Food Agency Zambia and his deputy, Mercy Phiri, on March 7, 2018 in Nkeyema District did steal 312,040 kilogrammes of white maize valued at K656,040 belonging to Milupi.

And when the matter came up before Magistrate Alice Walusiku for explanation of the charge, Tuesday, the Magistrate recused herself, saying that the accused persons were familiar to her.

She then allocated the matter before Magistrate Austin Mubita’s court.

However, when the matter was called before him, he could not proceed because the indictment had mistakes.

He adjourned the matter to a later date to allow the prosecution team to consolidate the indictment.

“I will adjourn this matter to a later date in order to allow the prosecution team to consolidate the indictment. The matter has since being adjourned to Thursday for explanation of the charge,” ruled Magistrate Mubita.