Delays to arrest Changwe suspicious – Musonda

Delays to arrest Changwe suspicious – Musonda
By George Chellah
Thu 12 Aug. 2010, 10:00 CAT

Gender deputy minister Lucy Changwe. Picture courtesy of Guairdian Weekly
ROGER Musonda yesterday said he is very suspicious about the delay by police to arrest and prosecute gender deputy minister Lucy Changwe for bouncing a cheque.

Changwe, who is also Mkushi North MMD member of parliament, bounced a K10 million cheque in a house purchase transaction. Musonda,who was the owner of the property in question and who has reported the matter to police, said he was convinced that there is a strong case against Changwe.

“I am asking the Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to immediately grant the consent for the arrest and prosecution of Changwe,” Musonda said.

“Looking at the recent events in the George Mpombo case, which I must say that I have keenly followed, I can confidently say that there is overwhelming evidence in the Changwe matter for her to be arrested and prosecuted. They must apply justice fairly.”

Musonda said as the complainant in the matter, he insisted that Changwe be arrested and prosecuted. “The delay in arresting and prosecuting Changwe is making me to be very suspicious. I have given the police everything including the bounced cheque and I am more than ready to appear in any court in Zambia to testify,” he said.

Musonda complained that the police were not even updating him as the complainant.

“I spoke to the police in Kabwe…to Mr Bwalya the divisional criminal investigations officer and they are telling me that the docket has moved to Lusaka on its way to the DPP’s office in order for the DPP to issue instructions because it's now involving a minister,” Musonda said.

“But I am aware that a fraud case once handled by police does not need the DPP’s consent. The whole world will now judge Zambia whether we are implementing the law fairly and equally, especially if Changwe is not arrested and prosecuted. But I still have confidence that justice will prevail.”

Musonda said Changwe’s matter deserved to be handled just like Mpombo’s case.

“Mpombo is in prison today because he has been prosecuted on the same offence Changwe committed. As a complainant, I want Changwe to be prosecuted, the same way Terence Findlay has made Mpombo to be prosecuted. In fact, on Monday, the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) governor Dr Caleb Fundanga said any complainant has a legal right to take a person who has bounced a cheque to court,” Musonda said.

“So I would like Changwe to go through the same process like Mpombo and many others who have been convicted. I must state that this is purely a private matter between myself and Changwe. It has nothing to do with the President, Vice-President, the government or MMD as a party. I just want justice to be done.”