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Former Lusaka Province Minister, Bowman Lusambo, has lost a US$600,000 worth lawsuit against Lake Oil Group of Companies Limited after it was dismissed for want of prosecution.
Lusaka High Court Judge, Marriam Bah-Matandala, threw out the matter due to Lusambo’s failure to prosecute the case commenced in 2022.
Justice Matandala said the plaintiff had not complied with the ruling dated June 21, 2023, to amend the pleadings and originating summons within 14 days, with the period having lapsed on July 5, 2023.
“Further, it has been noted that until now the plaintiff has not made good of the ruling, I find that in the interest of justice this matter ought to be dismissed for want of prosecution,” read the ruling.
Read more: Ex-Lusaka Province minister, Lusambo, loses $600,000 lawsuit against Lake Oil Group
In this matter, Lusambo claimed he was being owed US$600,000 for facilitating various businesses for the Oil Group which included the Gulf Adventures, Lake Agro and also the Kapiri Dry port investment in which it was agreed that he would be paid US$200,000 as his commission.
He claims to have facilitated the various investments at the time he was Lusaka Province Minister in the previous PF government, that is, between 2017 and 2019.
Lusambo complained of having suffered financial loss due to the defendent’s negligence to pay him the said amount.
In defence, the company submitted it had never authorized the said Ramana Gompa to act as its agent in relation to the alleged investment transactions or agreement.
It argued that during the said period of the verbal agreement, Lusambo was a provincial minister paid by government through tax payers money, and that as such could not take pecuniary interest or advantage of the companies, adding that the role of his office was to promote investments that would benefit Zambia and not himself.
“The defendant is not aware of the plaintiff’ s verbal agreement and as such the claims there to are extremely strange.”
It submitted that the case be dismissed on account that the statement of claim did not disclose the date and where the alleged verbal contract was entered nor the witnesses present at the time of the agreement.
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