THE case in which former Ministry of Health permanent Dr Kennedy Malama and five others are facing corruption charges will be tried by the newly constituted Economic and Financial Crimes Division Court.

When the case came up before Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor, T Mundenda, informed the court that the matter was coming up for a mention.

Mundenda said the case was also awaiting consent from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to prosecute, but the same had not yet been given.

He said the matter should come up on February 23, 2022 for another mention and possible plea.

Ruling on the State’s submission, Magistrate Makalicha told the accused persons that there was a team of magistrates constituted to try matters like theirs.

He said since their matter had not yet commenced, he was re-allocating it to magistrate Stanford Ngobola.

“There is a team of magistrates that has been constituted to try such matters. Since the matter has not even started, it is hereby re-allocated to magistrate Stanford Ngobola,” ruled magistrate Makalicha.

Magistrate Ngobola is one the magistrates selected to run the Economic and Financial Crimes Division Court.

Magistrate Faides Hamaundu and Jennifer Bwalya are also among them.

Three weeks ago, Chief Justice Mumba Malila announced the establishment of the new decision as provided for under Article 133 (3) of the Constitution of Zambia and section 3 of the High Court.

Other accused persons in this matter include Dr Francis Bwalya, 55, a diplomat at the Zambian Embassy in Geneva, Dr Muzaza Nthele, 48, a diplomat at the Zambian Embassy in Beijing, China, Rebecca Njobvu, 60 a retired Ministry of Health official and Dr Maxmillian Bweupe 51, also a diplomat at the Zambian Embassy, based in Washington DC in the United States of America and Wilson Lungu 37, who is currently working as Chief Procurement Officer in the Ministry of Mines.