Chilufya Pleads Not Guilty To Four Counts Of Corruption

Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has plead not guilty to four counts of corruption in the Lusaka High Court. 

Dr Chilufya has denied possession of property reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of crime, including US$252,000 and K3,270,000 which he allegedly used to purchase shares and properties in Zambia and Dubai. 

Appearing before Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale on Thursday morning,  Chilufya denied all charges. 

The charges against Chilufya allege that the minister used the proceeds of crime to invest in the Samfya Marines and Tourism Service Ltd., as well as purchasing a property in the Mansa district of Luapula Province and a passenger boat in Dubai. 

Upon hearing Dr Chilufya’s plea, Magistrate Mwale told the minister to instruct his sympathisers to stay home due to the risk of Covid-19. 

It follows the events of Thursday’s hearing, where Chilufya’s sympathisers - among them Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa and PF Lusaka Province Secretary Kennedy Kamba - were forced to leave the court by Justice Mwale. 

The trial date has been set for August 4th 2020.