Africa-Press – Zambia. Yesterday, the former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo was arrested and charged for electoral corruption by the Anti-Corruption Commission Zambia.
Mr Lusambo who is also the former Member of Parliament for Kabushi Constituency was arrested and charged with Four (4) counts of Bribery contrary to Section 81 of the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016.
In a statement issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono, highlighted that the offences were committed between 1st April, 2021 and 14th August 2021 in Ndola during the August 2021 General Elections campaign period.
Mr Moono stated that Mr Lusambo’s arrest follows the recent ruling by the Constitutional Court which nullified the election of Mr Lusambo as Member of Parliament for Kabushi Constituency for engaging in electoral corruption.
“Resulting from its decision, the Constitutional Court issued a Report which detailed the electoral malpractices that were perpetrated by Mr Lusambo,” Mr Moono added
He cited that it is on the strength of this Report that the Anti-Corruption Commission instituted investigations into the alleged malpractices and corruption, and the Commission proceeded to record a warn and caution statement from Mr Lusambo and he has subsequently been arrested.
Mr Moono explained that in the first count, Mr Lusambo being a private person namely an aspiring candidate for Kabushi constituency under the Patriotic Front (PF) ticket, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, corruptly offered K50 and actually gave K50 each to some United Party for National Development (UPND) supporters and actually promised K500 each, 2.5 liters of cooking oil and a bag of mealie meal after the elections.
Mr Moono further explained that in the second count, Mr Lusambo was arrested and charged for corruptly giving K1,300.00 to youths in Lubuto West to share. Furthermore, in the third count, Mr Lusambo was arrested and charged for corruptly giving K4,000.00 to youths from Kabushi Ward to share.
Additionally, in the fourth count, Mr Lusambo was arrested and charged for corruptly giving K300 each to some women of Saint Kizito Catholic Church after attending mass before the elections.
Mr Moono noted that the offences were committed as an inducement or reward for the recipients of the money from Lusambo for them to vote for him and the Patriotic Front Party in the August 12th 2021 General Elections.
“Mr Lusambo was released on Bond and is expected to appear in court soon,” Mr Moono said
On 28th July, 2022 the Constitutional Court upheld the nullification of the election of Bowman Lusambo as Kabushi Member of Parliament, as he is linked to pre-election violence in Kabushi and distribution of money in breach of electoral rules.
Reading the judgment, Constitutional Court Judge Palan Mulonda noted that the trial Judge was on firm ground when he stated that out of the four violent incidents, Mr Lusambo was present on three different occasions and did not attempt to stop the violence.
Judge Palan Mulonda has further found that the lower Court was on firm ground that it was not a mere coincidence that Mr Lusambo was found with the NATO Forces, who perpetrated violence prior to the August 12, 2021 elections.
Last year, the Ndola High Court nullified the election of Mr Lusambo on grounds of electoral malpractices after the United Party for National Development (UPND) losing candidate Bernard Kanengo petitioned Mr Lusambo of the Patriotic Front (PF) stating that it was characterized by violence and corrupt malpractices before and during the August 12,2021 General elections. But in his appeal Mr Lusambo stated that the trial Judge Edward Musona erred in law when he stated that the Kabushi Lawmaker did not disassociate himself from the violence and did not attempt to stop it.
Despite this nullification paving way for a By-Election in Kabushi Constituency, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) rejected the nomination papers for Mr Lusambo on the basis that he does not qualify to recontest the Kabushi seat that was nullified by the Constitutional Court citing to Article 72 (4) of the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Act No. 2 of 2016, as the Commission is not mandated to accept nominations from any candidates who caused a vacancy in the National Assembly.
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