Maravi

Rupiah's ex-ministers drag each other to police over failed deal

Rupiah's ex-ministers drag each other to police over failed deal
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 29 Dec. 2011, 13:59 CAT

POLICE yesterday picked up Gaston Sichilima over a failed business transaction between him and former livestock and fisheries development deputy minister Albert Mulonga.

Sichilima, a former home affairs deputy minister in the MMD government is alleged to have promised to help his colleague, Mulonga, purchase a truck from the United Kingdom at a cost of about K46 million.

According to sources, Mulonga gave Sichilima K46 million cash but the latter did not deliver the truck.

This prompted Mulonga to seek police help a few months ago where they recorded a warn and caution statement from him.

A check by The Post at Lusaka's Matero Police Station at about 14: 28 hours confirmed Sichilima's presence as he was being questioned by a plain clothed police officer in one of the offices at the criminal investigations department.

Sichilima who was only released at about 15:20 hours later granted an interview to journalists who were waiting for him outside.

Sichilima denied having personally received the money, saying Mulonga dealt with one of his companies.

"I've never stolen money from anybody. I didn't act as an agent for the person that was buying the truck or the agent for the company. The person asked for the address of the company where my companies buy trucks, and that's the address that we gave him, you can confirm with Finance Bank it's the one that remitted the money to England. Now when he failed to pay for freight, the truck was not sent, then he came back to me," Sichilima explained.

"I said you contact the company. So all he needed was a refund either from England or myself. But I opted to solve this thing amicably because I still buy trucks from four companies from England and I've never encountered such difficulties before. There's an allegation which he thought he gave me the money, I didn't receive any money from him. All he asked for was an address where my companies buy trucks. He's not the only one, there are a few others, my colleagues, ordinary people get these addresses. Being a mature person what I opted for even before was to refund and then pursue either to receive the truck through him… it will have to come through Honourable Mulonga."

Asked why he would choose to pay back the money if he was not personally involved, Sichilima said he wanted the issue resolved amicably.

And later when contacted for comment, police acting spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said police had stopped dealing with the matter upon learning that Sichilima had made a part payment to Mulonga.

"Actually we learnt that Mr Sichilima had made a part payment of K20 million to the other party. So as police we are no longer involved in the matter, it is now a civil matter which the two parties will deal with," said Hamoonga.

Labels: GASTON SICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:36 PM