By Bennie Mundando
MINISTER of Health Chitalu Chilufya has been acquitted of all the corruption charges he has been facing by the Lusaka Magistrate Court.
In June, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested Dr. Chilufya, 47, and charged with four counts of possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime contrary to section 71 subsection 1 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No. 19 of 2010.
The arrest followed investigations the Commission had been conducting against the minister in relation to the corruption allegations.
But the Magistrate Court has today acquitted him. This comes a fortnight when the court was subjected to an unexpected drama from ACC.
On August 6, 2020, ACC investigations officer Chipambe Manda shocked the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court when he testified in favour of Dr. Chilufya.
Mr. Manda admitted that the total value of assets that Dr. Chilufya was accused of acquiring through proceeds of crime, was less than his known legitimate income.
He testified that the total value of assets that the minister stood charged with as being proceeds of crime was K5,542,500, whereas his known legitimate earnings in the period under investigation exceeded K19 million.
