“Malanji used K10m to buy hotel”

By Hannock Kasama

A witness has testified that former Foreign Affairs Minister JOSEPH MALANJI in October 2020 allegedly used 10 million KWACHA suspected proceeds of crime to settle a loan for the purchase of his Royal Gibson Hotel in KITWE.

Drug Enforcement Commission- DEC -Anti-money Laundering Unit and Investigations Director KWALEYELA MUKELABAI has testified that the transaction was allegedly done on October 25, 2020, immediately Mr. MALANJI returned from MOROCCO after an official trip.

Mr. MUKELABAI has insisted that Mr. MALANJI’s 10 million KWACHA transaction over the purchase of his Royal Gibson Hotel was allegedly proceeds of crime, justifying that the money was paid once.

He was testifying before Principal Resident Magistrate IRENE WISHIMANGA during cross examination by defence lawyer MAKEBI ZULU.

In this matter, Mr. MALANJI is charged with possession of properties deemed to be proceeds of crime.

Mr. MALANJI was arrested in December 2021.

He is jointly charged with former Secretary FREDSON YAMBA.

Mr. YAMBA allegedly willfully without following law and procedure approved the funds for the purchase of Zambia’s Chancery in Turkey.