Ministry of Finance accountant testifies in 48 houses case

A SENIOR Accountant Expen diture in the Ministry of Fi nance has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Court that Charles Loyana the al leged owner of the infamous 48 houses, now 51, got 12 loans amounting to K530, 000 from the ministry.

Ms Sharon Chunda, 43, a witness of Lusaka’s Chalala area said that on April 1, 2020 the Anti-Corruption Commis sion (ACC) approached her re questing for all the loans Loya na got from the ministry.

Ms Chunda said she was or dered by her director to com pile any information on the types of loans Loyana acquired as per request by the ACC officers.

“I went to the system and compiled all the data, I checked the types of loans Loyana acquired and I discov ered that he acquired 12 loans between 2006 and 2016.

She told the court the total amount of all the 12 loans ac quired by Loyana amounted to K530, 000 and out of 12 loans, 11 were car loans and only one loan amounting to K30, 000 was for a house loan.

She also narrated that the maximum loan he got on the list of car loans was K100, 000. She then compiled all the information and took it to her director who verified and stamped so that he could give the ACC officers.

“I took the compiled infor mation to my then Director for stamping and verification so that he could give the ACC offi cers a copy and remained with the original,’’ she said.

In cross-examination, De fence lawyer Willis Mhango asked the witness if she brought any documents to show the court where his cli ents signed that he got a loan from them. She responded by saying she never came with any documents apart from the list of loans he got.