This archive report was first published on 9 September 2021.
On 20th July, Judge Juma Chitembwe had USD 7,000 (approximately Sh 768,000) in his office, which he intended to use to pay his son's school fees at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. However, he was unable to transfer the money directly to the university account due to bank difficulties.
When DCI officers raided his chambers on an unspecified date, Judge Chitembwe handed over the money to the detectives, refuting claims that they recovered it from him. In his replying affidavit, the judge stated that he removed the money from his pockets and handed it over to the officers after a body search was conducted.
According to the judge, he had kept the dollar account under his wife's name for the last three years, making it not unusual for him to have US dollars in his possession. He further stated that he was waiting to find time to go to the bank and help his son transfer the money directly to the university when he was arrested.
Judge Chitembwe also disputed the DCI's claim that he was not arrested, stating that he felt and considered himself under arrest until his release. He was ordered to write a statement on the occurrence of that day from the time the officers confronted him outside Justice Aggrey Muchelule's chamber until he arrived at the DCI's offices.
