By LUCY PHIRI
A senior Accountant Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Court that Charles Loyana the alleged owner of the infamous 48 houses, now 51, got 12 loans amounting to K530, 000 from the ministry.
Ms Sharon Chunda, 43, a witness of Lusaka’s Chalala area said that on April 1, 2020 the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) approached her requesting for all the loans Loyana got from the ministry.
Ms Chunda said she was ordered by her director to compile any information on the types of loans Loyana acquired as per request by the ACC officers.
“I went to the system and compiled all the data, I checked the types of loans Loyana acquired and I discovered that he acquired 12 loans between 2006 and 2016.
She told the court the total amount of all the 12 loans acquired by Loyana amounted to K530, 000 and out of 12 loans, 11 were car loans and only one loan amounting to K30, 000 was for a house loan.
She also narrated that the maximum loan he got on the list of car loans was K100, 000. She then compiled all the information and took it to her director who verified and stamped so that he could give the ACC officers.
“I took the compiled information to my then Director for stamping and verification so that he could give the ACC officers a copy and remained with the original,’’ she said.
In cross-examination, Defence lawyer Willis Mhango asked the witness if she brought any documents to show the court where his clients signed that he got a loan from them. She responded by saying she never came with any documents apart from the list of loans he got.
Defence Lawyer: In your life, have you ever heard of any civil servant purchasing property to that amount you mentioned earlier?
Witness: I have never heard of any
Defence: How many years have you worked in the civil service?
Witness: I have worked for eight years
Defence Lawyer: So in your eight years of service you have never gotten any house or car loan?
Witness: I have never gotten any loan
Defence Lawyer: Lastly, was my client on salary even after he got the said loans?
Witness: Yes he was on salary.
Trial Continues.
