…detain Kaumbwe council chairperson, ex-DC on NRC scam
By SIMON MUNTEMBA
POLICE have summoned former PF deputy Secretary-General Mumbi Phiri over an incident in Kaoma in which a UPND member Lawrence Banda was shot dead during a mayoral by‐-election in 2019.
Ms Phiri appeared in video that went viral in which she exonerated PF Intercity branch second in command, Francis Muchemwa who was being accused of the murder.
She said Mr Muchemwa was nowhere near the scene of crime at the time MrBanda was murdered. And PF deputy media director Edwin Lifwekelo has charged that the police were targeting every influential PF official for the purpose of intimidating and weakening the party.
In an interview, Mr Lifwekelo, who is PF deputy media director, confirmed that the police went to the secretariat to deliver the callout for Ms Phiri but they refused to receive it because she was no longer working from there.
“Yes, the police came to deliver the summon for her, but we told them that she is no longer an employee at the secretariat. We told them to find out wherever she was and deliver the summon to her,” Mr Lifwekelo said.
He added, “The police also came looking for former Minister of Gender and Child Development, Patricia Mulasikwanda and we told them that she is not part of the secretariat.”
But when contacted for a comment Ms Phiri said she was not aware.
“Who has told you? I am not aware of that, in fact I am hearing it from you. May be they will come and bring the summon. I am waiting for them,” Ms Phiri said before cutting the phone call.
Meanwhile, a PF member popularly known as “grassroot media’ has reportedly been detained at Lusaka division for allegedly defaming the President.
The outspoken media enthusiast was initially detained at Kachingwe Police Post before being moved to Central Police.
In a related development, police in Petauke have charged and arrested former Petauke District Commissioner Velenasi Moyo and PF Kaumbwe Constituency chairperson Goodson Lungu for abuse of authority of office and for intent to deceive, respectively.
A statement by police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed police have charged and arrested former Petauke District Commissioner Ms Velenasi Banda Moyo aged 44 of plot number one Mayadi area Petauke for one count of Abuse of Authority of office with Goodson Ngandu Lungu aged 50 of Nyansimbo Village Chief Mwanjabantu Petauke a Patriotic Front Chairman for KaumbweConstituency.
Mr Hamoonga explained that it is alleged that the duo, on a date unknown between August 1 and September 30 2020, with others unknown, did aid more than 1, 000 under aged children ranging between five and 15 years to obtain National Registration Cards.
He said the children subsequently obtained Voters cards.
He said the accused persons were in custody, as the Police awaited them to fulfill police bond conditions to be released.
