By Mwaka Ndawa
TRESPASSERS have usurped three plots which were sized alongside the 51 houses in Lusaka’s Chalala area by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on the premise that they were tainted.
This came to light when the Economic and Financial Crimes Court was viewing the properties which are alleged to have been concealed by senior accountant at the Ministry of Finance Charles Loyana and his wife Susan Sinkala.
This is in a matter where Loyana and Sinkala, an assistant accountant at the Ministry of Works and Supply, are facing charges of possessing and concealing properties worth K37 million suspected to be proceeds of crime.
It is alleged in the first and second count that Loyana and his wife between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2019, whilst acting together with others unknown, concealed and possessed 51 properties valued at K37,916,000.
According to The Mast, during scene visit led by businessman Andrew Lombe Bwalya, magistrate Faidess Hamaundu established that three plots which were seized by the ACC are currently being developed by unscrupulous people whilst the matter is pending determination.
“Plot No. 231, 233 ad 235 they are supposed to be undeveloped but we discovered people are building on the land. We have brought this to the attention of the Commission,” Bwalya said. “For these plots, Mr Loyana was trying to buy and paid deposits on all the undeveloped plots and the ones that are complete were paid for. I still have interest in these plots as the developer.”
The 51 houses which are in a deplorable state, are scattered on lot L/19897/M and 19897/M/A which belonged to Yusuf Zuneid Ishmael, Mohamed Pashid, Patel Ahmed Yakub and Zakhil Hussein Kankhara who gave the power of Attorney to Lombe Bwalya and associates to sell the land on their behalf by creating subdivisions.
The houses which are semidetached are enclosed in a three dozen, ennead, and a sextet.
Ennead refers to a group of nine, while sextet means a group of six.
About 30 houses are complete and only 24 have been occupied, while 21are pending completion.
Bwalya further explained to the court how he demarcated the plots.
“In the northern direction, we sold six plots to Mr Loyana. There are two subdivisions: A347 and A349 which has 12 houses, subdivision A335 and A337 has 12 houses and subdivision A386 and A384 has 12 incomplete houses. And this forms part of phase one which has 36 houses in total,” Bwalya explained. “In phase two of lot No. 19897/M/A/ subdivision 313 and 315 comprises of nine incomplete flats. Subdivision 397 and 399 has six complete flats. Subdivision 452 is commercial plot and Mr Loyana only paid K10,000 deposit.”
Bwalya further led the court to a bare piece of land which consists of eight plots and was subdivided from 32-39.
He said he has interest in the plots as developer, as Loyana only paid a deposit in an attempt to secure them as he was in the process to purchase them until the ACC frustrated the process when they instituted investigations relating to the ownership of the property.
Trial continues on July 22.