A 49-year-old businessman of Lusaka’s New Chawama area has appeared in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for allegedly personating a police officer and obtaining over K8,000 from different people on the pretence that he will offer them employment in the public service.

In this matter, Luckson Mwambazi is facing 14 counts of personating public officers contrary to section 102 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 309 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Mwambazi has however pleaded not guilty before magistrate Victoria Chitulangoma and has since been granted bail of K8,000 in his own recognizance, with two working sureties bound in the like sum.

It is alleged that on January 30, last year in Lusaka, Mwambazi with intent to defraud and deceive, obtained K2,000 from Given Chishala by falsely pretending that he would offer him employment in the public service when in fact not.

It is further alleged that on the same date, the accused obtained K2,020 from Hamoonga Zulu, K1,132 from Petronella Aongola, K800 from Fredrick Simukoko, K900 from Obrey Mweelwa, K600 from Sara Phiri and another K900 from Mathews Sokoni by falsely pretending that he would offer them employment in the Public service when in fact not.

When the matter came up for plea, Wednesday, Mwambazi pleaded not guilty in all 14 counts.

After the court adjourned the matter to March 20 for trial, the accused said he had two applications to make, one for bail and another one to order the State to bring another person to court.

Mwambazi claimed that there was a Mrs Mulenga who the police had failed to arrest that’s why the case was not brought to court early.

He added that it was important to bring the woman to court because she was the one who was allegedly collecting the said money using his name.

“I have been in custody since February 2. There is one important person in this matter who the police have failed to arrest that’s why the matter has delayed. I want this person to be brought to court [because] she is the one who was collecting the money using my name,” said Mwambazi.

He said although police knew where the same woman stayed, they had not done much to follow up the matter with her.

Mwambazi then applied for bail and the court granted it to him in the sum of K8,000 in own recognizance with two working sureties bound in the like sum.

The matter comes up on March 20, for trial.