ZAMBIA Must Prosper leader and lawyer, Kelvin Bwalya Fube, has been dragged to the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for money laundering and failure to report a suspicious transaction.

Fube has been jointly charged with a data clerk, Beauty Chama aged 39, and three businessmen Ibrahim Mitha, Hassan Hanif Mitha and Bwalya Chitalu Kalandanya.

They are facing three counts of possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime, money laundering and failure to report a suspicious transaction.

Allegations in count one are that Chama between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown did possess seven flats at stand No. JES/ 118 situate in Jesmondine valued at K 6,125,000.00, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

Count two alleges that Chama, Ibrahim, Hassan, Kalandanya and Fube between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did engage directly or indirectly in a transaction that involved proceeds of crime.

In the last count, it is alleged that Fube between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did negligently fail to submit a suspicious report to the centre.

When the matter came up for allocation yesterday before Chief Resident Magistrate Davies Chibwili, the state informed the court that the accused persons were not before court.

Magistrate Chibwili later allocated the matter to Magistrate Silvia Munyinya for possible plea, but she adjourned the matter after being informed that the accused persons were not before court.

The court adjourned the matter to June 2, 2023, for possible plea.

In October last year, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit, arrested Kalandanya and four others for money laundering activities involving over K6 million.

The Commission further arrested Bwalya for Failure to report a suspicious transaction.

In a statement, DEC Deputy Public Relations Officer Delight Haangala said Kalandanya, between January 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022, whilst acting together with other persons unknown, concealed the true ownership of seven fully furnished flats in Lusaka’s Jesmondine, valued at K6,125,000.

“The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU) has arrested Lusaka Businessman Mr. Bwalya Chitalu Kalandanya and four (4) others for money laundering activities involving over K6,000,000.00. The Commission has arrested Bwalya Chitalu Kalandanya, a Businessman aged 47 of Roma Park in Lusaka, for Money Laundering. Bwalya Chitalu Kalandanya, on dates unknown but between 1st January 2017 and 28th February 2022, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown did conceal the true ownership of a property namely 7 fully furnished flats at stand number JES/118 situated in Jesmondine, Lusaka valued at K6,125,000.00,” she said.

Haangala said Kalandanya allegedly transferred the said flats to a Beauty Chama, who claims not to have known about the property.

She said the property was also said to have been sold to businessmen Ibrahim Mitha, 35 and Hassan Hanif Mitha, 28, without the knowledge of the alleged owner through KBF and Partners law firm.

“It is further alleged that Kalandanya did transfer the said flats to Beauty Chama, a female aged 39 years and a Data Clerk at Civic Centre Clinic who has also been arrested by the Commission for possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime, who claims not to have known about the property. Furthermore, the property is said to have been sold to Ibrahim Mitha, a male aged 35 and Hassan Hanif Mitha, a male aged 28, without the knowledge of the alleged owner through KBF and Partners law firm,” said Haangala.

“The Commission has since jointly charged and arrested Ibrahim Mitha and Hassan Hanif Mitha, both Businessmen of Emmasdale in Lusaka for Money Laundering acquisition of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime without taking reasonable steps to ascertain whether or not the property is a proceed of crime. The Commission has further arrested Mr. Kelvin Fube Bwalya, a Lawyer aged 59 of Kabulonga in Lusaka for Failure to report a suspicious transaction. The suspects are currently on Police bond and will appear in court soon.”