Maravi

Lawyer abandons Bulaya over fees

Lawyer abandons Bulaya over fees
By Mwila Chansa
Tuesday June 03, 2008 [04:00]

FORMER Luapula Province deputy minister Kennedy Sakeni has accused the Task Force on Corruption of selling Mansa Milling to MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba through the back door. But Task Force chairman Max Nkole described Sakeni's statement as figments of his own imagination. And Tetamashimba said Sakeni was a malicious man who had xenophobia for people from other provinces that seek to invest in Luapula Province.

Sakeni said the Task Force never advertised the sale of Mansa Milling Company and that people in Mansa were surprised that it had been sold to Tetamashimba.

But when contacted to confirm the development, Bulaya's lawyer Mumba Kapumpa denied having abandoned Bulaya saying he only told the court that he could not proceed because he was not fully instructed by his client.

When the matter came up in chambers yesterday, Bulaya confirmed that he had only paid his lawyer part of the fees because he did not have money.
Bulaya asked the court to adjourn his case for a month but the court refused to grant him the application for an adjournment after the state argued that he had enough time to prepare.

High Court Judge Marvin Mwanamwambwa ordered Bulaya to appear before him on Thursday to argue his case at the next hearing.

But Kapumpa, when contacted by telephone, denied having abandoned his client.
Kapumpa, who sounded upset after being asked about abandoning his client, cautioned the author to stick to what was on the record and not write something based on rumours.
But when the author explained that she called to verify facts and get both sides of the story before working on it, Kapumpa denied having withdrawn from handling the matter.
Kapumpa also refused to explain what he meant by 'not being fully instructed by his client'.

This is in a case where Bulaya appealed to the High Court against his conviction.
Bulaya was jailed five years by the then Principal Resident Magistrate Edward Musona after being found guilty in a case where he was charged with abuse of authourity of office involving about K3 billion.

Bulaya, then health permanent secretary, offered himself a contract to supply Elixir nine, a food supplement meant for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Magistrate Musona also ordered the forfeiture of Bulaya's nine properties including his house in Chalala area.
Bulaya is currently on bail. The matter comes up on June 5.

Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 7:56 AM