Witness concedes in Maviya case
A STATE witness has admitted that he does not know former Mandevu aspiring parliamentary candidate Amon Maviya who is accused of forgery, uttering false documents, obtaining goods by false pretences, and allegedly obtaining K89, 705.00 and US$3,500 cash from a Chinese national.
Maviya is accused of obtaining the money from Min Jae Kwon by allegedly falsely pretending that he had Mukula logs and authority from ZAFFICO to sell when in fact not.
During trial yesterday, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources assistant director of human resource and administration Paul Siame also admitted that he had not said anything in his evidence-in-chief implicating Maviya.
Mr. Siame further conceded that he had not produced the register in court to prove that a Mr. Evaristo Mulenga, who purportedly authored a Ministry of Lands letter in dispute, does not work for the ministry.
In cross-examination by defence lawyer Agrippa Malando, the witness also admitted that he did not have a record to show that the said Mr. Mulenga is not an employee of the ministry.
In his evidence-in-chief, Mr. Siame said in July last year a police officer went to his office and showed him the letter purportedly issued by the ministry.
He said the letter had features that were not consistent with those on the ministry’s headed paper and that when he checked in the register he found that the ministry did not have an employee by the name of Evaristo Mulenga.
The State yesterday closed its case and public prosecutor Joe Phiri told Lusaka Magistrate Tabitha Mulenga that he will rely on evidence on record while Mr. Malando said he will file in written submissions by today.
Ruling will be delivered on October 15, 2021.
By CHARLES MUSONDA
