A SELF styled 55-year-old pastor of Eastern Province who was recently arrested has appeared in the Lusaka Magistrate’s court for alleged illegal possession of over 2,000 ‘miracle’ US$100 notes which are purportedly fake.

The pastor, Tonga, 55, is jointly charged Peter Musongo, 43, a cross-border trader of Lusaka East and Wallace Kapangu, 51, a peasant farmer of Mkushi, Central Province.

They have been slapped with the offence of illegal possession of forged bank notes.

It is alleged that on August 22, 2024, the pastor and his colleagues, jointly had in their possession 2,798 pieces of forged US$100 bank notes, knowing the same to be fake.

Yesterday, the threesome appeared before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Davies Chibwili and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The case was adjourned to September 20, 2024, for trial as the three applied for bail pending trial.

The prosecution team led by senior prosecutor Aaron Tuntuluka did not object to the bail application bus stressed the need for the accused to have proper sureties from Lusaka because they don’t reside in the capital.

In his ruling, the magistrate noted that none of the accused had given him their proper residential address and that that would make it difficult to trace them.

For example, Musongo only told the court that he lives at the area behind Heroes Stadium while Kapangu merely mentioned Tazara, in Mkushi.

“I don’t see how the court can locate them. For that reason, bail is denied,” magistrate Chibwili said as the pastor complained of ill health.

“I have issues with my kidney and the medicine is almost done. I need to talk to my daughter so that I can have more,” Tonga said.

Magistrate Chibiwli directed Mr Tuntuluka to ensure that he contacts Mr Tonga’s daughter so that the accused accesses his medication.

(Mwebantu, Friday,  September 6th, 2024)

THE Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ) has suspended Licensure Examinations scheduled for October and November this year.

This is follows the Kitwe High court granting an injunction involving Makunko Nsalange and 13 other medical graduates who challenged the Council’s mandate to administer LEX following the transposition of the February and March 2024 results.

HPCZ Registrar and Chief Executive Officer professor Fastone Goma said as directed by the Court, HPCZ will not proceed with the upcoming examinations.

“HPCZ wishes to inform the public and all relevant stakeholders that, following a court ruling dated 4th September 2024, the scheduled October November 2024 Professional Licensure Examinations (LEX) have been suspended,” he said.

Professor Goma said the Kitwe High Court has granted an injunction in a case involving Makunko Nsalange and 13 other medical graduates who challenged the Council’s mandate to administer LEX following the transposition of the February March 2024 LEX results.

He said while the Council awaits the resolution of the matter, all stakeholders that the process of application for LEX has also been halted and those who have already applied will be guided in due course regarding payments made.

“The decision also impacts all fresh medical graduates intending to be registered to practice their profession in Zambia, as they will have to wait for final determination of the case. We understand the inconvenience this may cause for candidates and it is our hope that the matter will be resolved in the shortest possible time,” he said.

Professor Goma added that HPCZ remains committed to quality assurance processes that the Ministry of Health has entrusted in the regulatory body.

(Mwebantu, Friday, September 6th, 2024)

A 45-year-old Luanshya gym instructor has been apprehended after he allegedly beat his wife to death.

Mwika Chilaisha is believed to have found his wife Lunar Kalaba aged 35 with another man who was half naked in the toilet of a bar that the couple owned.

Angered by the situation, Chilaisha who is also a stores man at Zambia Combined Cadet Force allegedly started beating the two, but the other man, Nathan Simukoko ran away.

Copperbelt Province Commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba said the incident occurred today between 01:00 and 02:00 hours at a bar known as ‘Paka Dry’ of Mpatamati area of Luanshya.

He said the incident was reported by the victim’s brother.

“Brief facts of the matter are that  Chilaisha and the victim (wife) operates a bar known Paka Dry within Section 25 in Mpatamatu. On September 4th, 2024 he was selling at his bar since the usual barman had followed a customer who was owing some money for beers. Yesterday,between 16:00 hours and 17:00 hours, his wife, Lunar Kalaba passed through the bar and asked the husband for a K5 which she was not given and she left,” he said.

Mr Mweemba said around 19:30 hours, the barman returned and resumed his work, while the suspect went home, leaving his wife at the bar.

“While he was sleeping, his wife went home with Nathan Simukoko a customer around midnight .When the husband tried to find out from the wife why she went with the customer home she responded that she had kept some fish for him in the fridge which he had gone to collect,” he said.

He explained that after a short period of time, the two left.

Mr Mweemba said after noticing that his wife had taken too long, the suspect decided to follow the wife and when he reached the bar premises, he heard some voices coming  from the toilet.

“He went there only to find Simukoko Nathan half naked and the wife also was in the toilet. He beat up the two of them. However, Mr Simukoko managed to escape and he remained with the wife who he beat until she became unconscious,” he said.

Mr Mweemba explained that upon being taken to the clinic by the bar man, the suspects wife was pronounced dead upon arrival.

(Mwebantu, Thursday, September 5th, 2024)