Maravi

Kunda, wife sue chairperson of committee on Zamtel sale

Kunda, wife sue chairperson of committee on Zamtel sale
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 12 Jan. 2012, 13:56 CAT

GEORGE Kunda and his wife Ireen have sued the chairperson of a technical committee appointed by the President to probe the controversial sale of Zamtel to Libya's Lap GreenN. Kunda was vice-president in Rupiah Banda's government when Zamtel's 75 per cent shareholding was sold to Lap GreenN.

In this matter, George Kunda and Company and Ireen Mwezi Kunda are the first and second plaintiffs respectively, while Dimple Ranchold, a Lusaka lawyer, is the first defendant and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) the second defendants.

The plaintiffs complained in a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court principal registry that their complaint was premised on revelations made by Ranchold during a press conference addressed by justice minister Sebastian Zulu over the Zamtel sale probe findings on November 24, 2011.

"First defendant is a legal practitioner under the name and style of Ranchold Chungu Advocates and was at all material times Chairperson of the Technical Committee...constituted to inquire into the sale of Zamtel by the government of the Republic of Zambia," the statement read.

The Kundas said during the course of the said press conference, Ranchold said the technical committee had discovered that the Zambia Development Agency made a payment of K190 million to George Kunda and Company.

The Kundas said Ranchold told the press that the payment was not supported by any document and that this was a lot of money.

"Mrs Ranchold further said when the committee queried the chief accountant on the amount he told the Technical Committee that the amount was paid to George Kunda and Company for legal fees," the statement read in part.

"Mrs Ranchold said ZDA has up to now failed to show the committee any document supporting the payment of K190 million to George Kunda and Company. Investigations revealed that this K190 million was paid from suspense account."

The Kundas said ZNBC on the same date falsely and maliciously published and broadcast Ranchold's statement from the press conference.

They said all this was aimed at portraying them as not fit to practice law and being criminal offenders involved in corruption, fraud and theft of public funds in the sum of K190 million.

"By reason of the publication of the said words the first and second plaintiffs have been injured in their character, credit and professional reputation and standing," the statement read further.

The Kundas asked the court to restrain the defendants against publishing the defamatory words complained of and/or slander concerning them.

Labels: GEORGE KUNDA, ZAMTEL, ZDA

posted by MrK @ 7:07 PM