Witness tells court that storey house, nine flats belong to Chimese
By Staff Reporter
A WITNESS has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that former Zambia Air Force Commander Eric Chimese is the owner of the storey building and nine flats in Ibex Hill.
Witness Pelekelo Muyunda was testifying in the case in which Lieutenant General Chimese is jointly charged with his wife Sharon Gray and Chita Lodges managing director James Chungu on five counts of abuse of authority and money laundering but they pleaded not guilty.
Muyunda, after leading magistrate Nsunge Chanda in viewing the properties, said although he has not seen any
documentation that the said property belonged to Lt Gen Chimese, as far as he is concerned, the former ZAF commander is the owner because he used to frequent the premises.
He said he was care taker for the property from 2012 to 2017 and that what he knew was that the owner was Lt Gen Chimese.
Muyunda said the storey building and nine flats were constructed by two Zimbabweans but he did not ask them who employed them.
The witness led the court to view the five bed roomed storey house, the stand alone gym and servants quarter which are within the premises.
Muyunda also led the court to where the nine flats are built and to a plot in a perimeter fence where a generator is connected with three containers inside where building materials such as cement, tiles and chandeliers were being kept.
He said he stopped working for Lt Gen Chimese in 2017 after he got married because his boss did not want him to marry and not that he stole.
When cross examined by one of the defence lawyers Kelvin Bwalya, Muyunda said he did not know Chungu.
He said Lt Gen Chimese has never lived at the properties from the time he started working there until he resigned in 2017.
Muyunda said he gave a statement to the Drug Enforcement Commission ( DEC) about what he knew concerning the properties a day before he appeared in court to testify.
He said the premises was manned by Pre Secure but he did not know who was paying
the security firm.
Muyunda said he would be surprised if someone told him that the properties belonged to a different person
and not Gen Chimese.
The witness admitted in cross examination that he used to see ZAF Commander Muma passing along the road next to the properties going to his plot.
Hearing continues on August 26 while the accused are expected to appear for mention on August 13.
