This archive report was first published on 2 January 2020.
On January 2, 2020, former Zambia State House spokesperson Amos Chanda and two others appeared in court on suspicion of corruption.
Chanda, who resigned from his position as Edgar Lungu's special assistant for press and public relations in June 2019, pleaded not guilty to six counts of corrupt practices and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
He is jointly charged with former Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) boss Zindaba Soko and businessman Walid el Nahas, who allegedly gave $10,000 to Soko and $11,000 to Chanda as an inducement to facilitate the awarding of a contract for Intelligent Mobility Solutions Limited by RTSA.
Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale explained the charges to the three, but could not take plea in counts one, two, three, and five as the state was awaiting consent from the country's top prosecutor.
Chanda was arrested late last year on corruption charges, a common occurrence in Zambia where political figures often face prosecution on leaving the corridors of power.
