BY claims he lent Regina $100,000 without collateral

BY claims he lent Regina $100,000 without collateral
Written by Inonge Noyoo
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 2:43:36 PM

NATIONAL Democratic Focus president Ben Mwila has claimed that he lent former president Frederick Chiluba's wife Regina US$100,000 without collateral.

Mwila was testifying in the matter in which Regina is charged with six counts of failing to account for property and receiving goods believed to have been stolen.

He told court that there was no agreement or any documentation to confirm that he lent Regina any money.

Mwila said there was nothing unusual about him lending such an amount of money without collateral because he had done that before.

He said he had given US$500,000 to legal counsel Oliver Chilembo when he wanted to take over some company in 1995, that he had dealings with late Baldwin Nkumbula where he gave him US$150,000 and that he gave US$160,000 to Richard Mulenga in 1975 without any collateral.

Mwila said Regina needed money for her business to buy property and he would not know what she used the money for.

He said he never followed people he lent money to find out what they did with it.

Mwila said he had known Regina from the time she was an MMD constituency official and district official to the time she was Copperbelt provincial chairlady.

He said at the time Regina was a provincial chairlady, he was national treasurer for the MMD and he would most of the time call her to arrange his meetings on the Copperbelt.

Mwila said she knew Regina as a hardworking entrepreneur and because he knew her, there was nothing wrong with him to help her if she had a cash-flow problem.

The matter comes up on March 3, 2009 for judgment.