$36,000 goes missing in Rupiah's bedroom

$36,000 goes missing in Rupiah's bedroom
By Joseph Mwenda
Tue 12 June 2012, 13:20 CAT

RUPIAH Banda has lost US$36,000 (about K190 million) from his bedroom at the family's New Kasama residence in Lusaka. Family sources disclosed yesterday that the former president had reported a case of theft to police over the money that went missing last week. The sources disclosed that Banda had been keeping the money in his bedroom and discovered it missing last Wednesday morning.

"The old man Banda says he counted the money before sleeping and he was shocked to discover it was gone the following morning. I am sure you would have known about it because he even reported the case to police, but you guys were busy with the UPND protest that day," one of the sources said.

The sources said Banda did not go to the police in person but instead sent someone to represent him.

"Immediately he discovered, he sent one of our family members to report to the police. From what I heard, police officers at some police station in Woodlands sent the family member back and asked him to call the actual owner of the cash to go and complain," said the source.

The sources said Banda was hesitant to go to police because he would draw unnecessary attention.

And highly placed police sources said the case had been withdrawn.

"We have nothing on that in the occurrence books. It seems he realised the magnitude of the case and the negative impact it would have on him so he called it off. It's like his son Andrew didn't like the way this would turn out, so he went to police and asked them to withdraw the matter," sources said.

When contacted for comment, Andrew said he met with his father on Friday but the former president did not mention anything concerning the missing money.

"Who told you that.. At what police was the case reported? How can I withdraw a case that I don't know about..? (laughs) Yes I met my father on Friday before I travelled to Chipata. We talked for about an hour over family issues. You know I have only met my father twice since he came back but never at any time did he mention anything to do with the money," he said.

Andrew further offered to contact his father and ask him to comment on the story.

"Let me call the person who is with my father now so that he can talk to you directly," he said.

President Banda returned from the United States two weeks ago where he was a guest lecturer at Boston University .

He was also in Lesotho as part of a team that monitored elections.