FORMER Lusaka Province minister Bowman Lusambo has again failed to take plea in a matter in which he is charged with five counts of corrupt acquisition of public property and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Lusambo, who appeared before Lusaka magistrate Faides Hamaundu in the company of his wife Nancy, could not take plea as consent to prosecute him from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was still not ready.

In count one, Lusambo is alleged to have between May 1, 2015 and December 31, 2021, in Ndola, on the Copperbelt Province, unlawfully acquired property number L/39876/M in the name of frontier Management Services Limited, which property was later transferred to Jignesh Soni at a consideration of K880,000, his own benefit.

In the second count, it is alleged that Lusambo, 45, between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018 in Masaiti, unlawfully acquired a certificate of title in respect of stand number MASAI/LN-1003028/218 in his name thereby obtaining an exemption from paying the sum of K250,000 plot/ premium land, which property was later conveyed to MBACHI NKWAZI at a consideration of K150,000, an act prejudicial to the rights and interest of Masaiti council.

In count three, it is alleged that on September 1, 2021 and October 31, 2021, in Chongwe, Lusambo jointly and whilst acting together with another person concealed property number HN 248 situated in Silverest Gardens valued at 60,000 USD in the name of Nancy Natasha Manase, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

In count four, it is alleged that Lusambo between September 1, 2021 and October 31, 2021 in Chongwe, jointly and whilst acting together with another person concealed property number HN282 situated at Silverest Gardens valued at 128,000 USD in the names of Nancy Natasha Manase, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

In the last count, it is alleged that Lusambo between the same dates in Chongwe, jointly and whilst acting together with another person concealed property number HN249 situated at Silverest Gardens valued at 60,000 USD in the name of Nancy Natasha Manase, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

When the case was called before magistrate Hamaundu, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Martin Mayembe told the court that the matter was coming up for plea and commencement of trial.

Mayembe, however, said the State was not ready to proceed because consent to prosecute from the DPP was not ready.

He then applied for a short adjournment and magistrate Hamaundu adjourned the case to April 6, 2022.