Maravi

Cops pursue Mpombo over settled K10m debt

Cops pursue Mpombo over settled K10m debt
By George Chellah
Thu 14 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

POLICE are pursuing former defence minister George Mpombo (left) over his already settled K10 million debt, which he owed Ndola businessman Terence Findlay. Mpombo, who is currently in Lusaka, yesterday explained that a team of police officers from Ndola Central Police had been tasked to locate him and record a warn and caution statement from him.

"What happened is that I was called yesterday Tuesday around 10:00 hours by Ndola Central police. They were saying that they are going to send a team to come to Lusaka to record a warn and caution statement from me over Mr Findlay's matter. Actually, they were putting it that there were fresh developments on the same matter, but if you recall police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso had told the nation that the matter had been closed since the K10 million payment was made to Mr Findlay," Mpombo said.

"But I have been expecting such manoeuvres from them. Even yesterday I was phoned by my sympathisers within the ruling party, who tipped me that there is a team of police officers from Ndola that is coming to Lusaka because there are fresh instructions from above. They also told me in confidence that after they get a warn and caution statement, they will drop it at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chalwe Mchenga."

Mpombo said it was clear that the police were under pressure from higher authorities.
"You may wish to know that when someone from Mr Findlay's office collected the money K10 million, the police in Ndola phoned my manager to confirm that the money had been picked up," Mpombo said. "But I have already consulted my lawyers over the issue and we are ready to meet them. We have actually insisted that we meet at force headquarters."

Later during the day, police officers from Ndola arrived in Lusaka and contacted Mpombo.
"They have arrived and I was just phoned by assistant superintendant Kasonde from Ndola. He told me that we have to meet at force headquarters in Room 118," Mpombo said. Mpombo, who was accompanied by his lawyer Bonaventure Mutale SC meet the team of police officers from Ndola at force headquarters around 14:05 hours yesterday.

“They have charged me with obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretence and they said that the matter has been referred to the DPP for determination on the next course of action. They also said they will get back to me through my lawyers,” Mpombo said.

And well-placed sources within State House disclosed yesterday that Findlay was under pressure over the matter.

"State House was not happy with the manner the matter was handled initially. We didn't expect Mr Findlay to close the docket after Mr. Mpombo made the payment. That's why Mr Findlay is now under pressure because State House is pushing that the matter be revived and if possible Mpombo be charged, arrested and then prosecuted," the source revealed.

Recently, police in Ndola opened a docket against Mpombo for allegedly issuing a K10 million cheque, which could not be honoured at the bank.

Confirming the incident to the Zambia Daily Mail, police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso said the police opened a docket after Findlay presented his case.
"Yes, I can confirm that we opened the docket for Mr Mpombo after we received a complaint from the affected person," he said.

However, the docket was closed after Findlay withdrew the case.
Kapeso was also quoted by ZNBC as saying that Mpombo, through his personnel manager, paid the K10 million cash to the complainant who subsequently instructed the police to close the docket.

Labels: GEORGE MPOMBO

posted by MrK @ 5:16 AM