SUE MALANJI NOT ME, SAYS EX-MP’S WIFE

SWIFT Cargo Services Limited should have sued Mr Joseph Malanji and not me, because I am not aware of the agreement between the two parties relating to the Isuzu D-Max motor vehicle, Fanny Madzi has contended.

Ms Madzi, who is wife to former Katuba Member of Parliament, Bampi Kapalasa, has denied owing Swift Cargo US$65, 000, being the market value of the Isuzu D-Max.

This is a matter, Swift Cargo has sued Ms Madzi, the Attorney General and the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) as first, second and third defendants in the Lusaka High Court seeking an order to set aside the consent judgement in which it was settled that the vehicle be released to Ms Madzi.

It is also demanding compensation in the sum of US$65,000 from Ms Madzi.

Last year, Ms Madzi commenced judicial review proceedings in the Lusaka High Court against the decision by police to seize her Isuzu-D-Max which she said was a gift to her husband from Mr Malanji as an “enticement” to vote for the contentious Constitutional (Amendment) Bill No.10 of 2019.

The vehicle was later seized by the Interpol theft of motor vehicles criminal investigations department, service headquarters.

She sought a declaration that the decision by the police to seize her vehicle was illegal and cited Attorney General as the defendant in the case and consent judgement was entered in her favour.

But Swift Cargo alleged that former Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Malanji never paid for the Isuzu D-Max motor vehicle which was then worth US$44, 472.02, which he gifted to Mr Kapalasa.

Ms Madzi in her defence contended that the company whose managing director is Goodward Mulubwa used the former PF Government’s politically aligned police officers to seize her motor vehicle and surrender it to the company.

“She is not privy to the contract or agreement subsisting between the plaintiff and Joseph Malanji and as such the plaintiff cannot now start dragging the defendant into the said agreement,” she said.