A SECURITY guard has testified how he found a container and some liquid which looked like petrol on the floor where MTN’s Finance Department is in the early hours of February 13, 2020.

This is a matter in which two MTN employees, Kamanyanga Kaseele, 35, an accountant of Woodlands, and Chipasha Kamukwamba, 36, a businessman of Lake Road Ibex Hill, are charged with attempted arson but pleaded not guilty.

It is alleged that between February 12, 2020 and February 13, 2020 in Lusaka, the two jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, wilfully and unlawfully attempted to set on fire a building, namely the MTN head office.

When the matter came up before Chief resident magistrate Lameck Mwale for trial, Charles Ngwezhe of Garden Township said on February 12, 2020 around 17:42 hours, he reported for work at MTN.

He said while on duty at the reception, he saw two MTN workers on the last floor of the building.

Ngwezhe said the two asked him if he could smell anything like gas or fuel and he replied in the affirmative.

The witness said he then went to the finance department and found a container and plastic bags that contained a substance that smelt like fuel.

“They told me that the smell is stronger in the elevator. I asked them to escort me to go and check together. We went to the…first floor, which was alright, there was no smell. When we reached the floor housing the finance department, I saw a container and some liquid which looked like petrol in a corridor leading to the exit door,” Ngwezhe said.

“I saw a five litre container and plastic bags near the exit door. We went nearby and found something which looked like petrol. Two black carrier bags had some two small tied plastics with yellow stuff which looked like liquid fuel.”

He said he returned to the reception and started contacting people in the maintenance office if they were aware of the items he found at the finance department.

The said later that morning, he reported the matter to his supervisors who then reported to police and he was called in for questioning.

Trial continues on April 29, 2020.