FORMER Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba and former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji on Friday appeared before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court where they denied charges of willful failure to comply with the law and possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

Yamba, a retiree of Ibex Hill, is charged with two counts of willful failure to comply with the law while Malanji, who is Kwacha PF member of parliament is charged with three counts of possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

In count one, it is alleged that Yamba, between January 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021, being Secretary to the Treasury, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown did allocate and authorise the transfer of K108,401,197.00 to the Zambian Mission Account in Turkey for the procurement of real estate without following the law.

In the second count, it is alleged that Yamba, between January 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021, being Secretary to the Treasury, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown did allocate and authorise the transfer of K45,800,000.00 to the Zambian Mission Account in Turkey for the procurement of real estate without following the law.

In the third count, Malanji, a business executive, is alleged to have between January 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, possessed a BELL 430 Helicopter, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

In the fourth count, he is alleged to have during the same period, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown possessed a BELL 206 JET RANGER Helicopter, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

In the last count, Malanji is alleged to have during the same period, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, possessed Gibson Royal Hotel, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

When the matter came up, Friday, Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha allocated the case to principal resident magistrate Jennifer Bwalya.

After Magistrate Bwalya read out the charges to the accused persons, they both pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate then adjourned the case to May 9, 2022, for commencement of trial.

PF acting president Given Lubinda and other PF supporters were at court to give solidarity to Malanji .