Magistrate Munyinya withdraws from handling case against party leader, Fube

Lusaka Magistrate, Silvia Munyinya, has recused herself from presiding over the case where Zambia Must Prosper party leader, Kelvin Bwalya Fube, and four others are accused of money laundering activities and failure to report a suspicious transaction.

Fube, a lawyer, commonly known as KBF, is jointly charged with music promoter Bwalya Kalandanya, a data clerk, Beauty Chama , and two businessmen Ibrahim Mitha and Hassan Hanif Mitha.

Magistrate Munyinya asked to be excused from the matter because one of the accused is a landlord where her family had rented for business.

“I recuse my self from handling this case. I reallocate the matter to the Chief Resident Magistrate,” she stated.

She said this when the matter came up on Friday, for commencement of trial.

Earlier, Magistrate Munyinya was informed that Kalandanya could not appear before her because he had Covid-19,but was however within the court premises.

The matter was adjourned to July 24,2023, for reallocation.

The five are charged with three counts of possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime, money laundering and failure to report a suspicious transaction.

Allegations in count one are that Chama between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown did possess seven flats at stand No. JES/ 118 situate in Jesmondine valued at K 6,125,000.00, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.

Count two alleges that Chama, Ibrahim, Hassan, Kalandanya and Fube between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did engage directly or indirectly in a transaction that involved proceeds of crime.

In count three, it is alleged that Fube between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022 in Lusaka, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did negligently fail to submit a suspicious report to the centre.

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