THE Economic and Financial Crimes Fast Track Court in Ndola will on April 18 rule on whether former ZAMPOST Postmaster General Mcpherson Chanda and two others have a case or no case to answer in a matter where they are facing 13 charges of theft by public servant.
On Thursday, the State closed its case after calling several witnesses to testify in the matter.
Chanda, Best Mwaichi and Isaac Kamwimba are appearing before magistrate Kaunda Sakwanda under the Financial and Economic Crimes Court in Ndola.
The arresting officer from the Anti-Corruption Commission, Victor Mutantabowa, earlier told the court that the accused persons stole the money when they fraudulently converted its use.
He told the court that each time social cash transfer funds were placed into a fixed deposit account, amounted to theft.
The witness said this is because the same was done without the consent of the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.
“The money was stolen in that the use of that money was converted fraudulently from paying social cash transfer, but diverted to a fixed deposit account to earn interest,” said Mutantabowa.
And Gideon Chibwe, a banker from ABSA bank, confirmed that following instructions to place funds into a fixed deposit account, funds were later placed into a fixed deposit account.
In December last year, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested Chanda and two directors for corrupt practices involving over K300,000,000.
The trio, in their capacities as Postmaster General, Director of Finance and Director of Operations, respectively, were said to have unlawfully diverted social cash transfer funds amounting to K335,108,834.00 without lawful authority.
In count one, it is alleged that between December 1, 2017 and December 31, 2021, Mcpherson Chanda, Best Mwaichi and Isaac Kamwimba jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown and being employed in the public service, namely as PostMaster General, Director Finance and Director operations, respectively, for the Zambia Postal Services, stole K 50,000,000, property belonging to the Government of Zambia.
In count two, it is alleged that Chanda and Kamwimba between August 1 and December 1, 2018 stole K21,945,256, property belonging to the Government of Zambia.
In count three, it is alleged that Chanda and Mwaichi between September 1 and October 1, 2017, stole K 27,363,578, property belonging to the Government of Zambia.
In counts four and five, Chanda and Mwaichi are alleged to have between March 1 and December 1, 2018, stolen K 5,500,000 and K20,000,000, property belonging to the Government of Zambia.
In count six, the two are also alleged to have stolen K16,000,000 between September 1 and December 1, 2017 and K50,000,000 between January 1, 2017 and December 1, 2018.
Other amounts Chanda and Mwaichi are alleged to have stolen include; K50,000,000 between January 1 and December 1, 2018, K25,000,000 between October 1 and December 1, 2017, K6,000,000 between January 1 and December 1, 2018, K24,300,000 between October 1 and December 1, 2017, K25,000,000 between October 9 and December 1, 2017 and K14,000,000 between October 25 and December 1, 2017.