Nyirongo pleads not guilty to 2 counts

Nyirongo pleads not guilty to 2 counts
By Inonge Noyoo
Friday July 06, 2007 [04:00]

FORMER lands minister Reverend Glad-ys Nyirongo has pleaded not guilty to two counts of abuse of authority. Taking plea before resident magistrate Sharon Newa, Rev Nyirongo, 49, said she understood the charge and was not guilty. Rev Nyirongo is charged with two counts of abuse of authority contrary to section 99(1) of the Penal Code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offences are that Nyirongo on a date unknown but between January 12, 2006 and February 22 this year in Lusaka, being a person employed in the public service as Minister of Lands did direct Daisy Mulenga M'soka, a lands officer at the Ministry of Lands to generate offer letters of the land in Foxdale area. The letters of offer were given to Walinase Nyirongo, Janet Isaac Nyirongo, Peter Kapolya, Peter Ngulube, Precious Ndlovu, Doris Mulenga, Mubanga Muyunji, Mickey Mukubu, Mwelwa Kamfwa, Bruce Chipasha and Dingwall Hayden in contravention of land alienation procedures, an act which was prejudicial to the interests of the government of Zambia.

On the second count, Rev Nyirongo on unknown dates but between October 2006 and April 24, 2007 in Lusaka abused her position by directing Christopher Chewe, a junior technical officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, to subdivide Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Farm F/309a in property No.L/19634/M for her and did thereby obtain property for herself.

The matter comes up for setting of trial dates on July 19, 2007.
And the case in which former Zambia Airforce commander Lt Gen Christopher Singongo is alleged to have abused his authority by awarding a cleaning contract worth K486 million to Nassim Cleaning Services, a company in which he is director and shareholder, yesterday failed to take off because the magistrate was not around.
The matter comes up today for continued trial.