Businessperson Zameer Karim alongside police officer – senior superintendent Grant Kachingwe have pleaded not guilty to all six counts bordering on theft, conspiracy to use public office for one’s advantage, money laundering and forgery in relation to a K2, 793, 087 500 food ration deal involving Karim’s company – Pioneer Investments.

According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the two are suspected to have committed the offenses between 2014 and 2019.

Meanwhile, ACB has started parading its witnesses including the former Police Inspector General Lexten Kachama.
Judge Mtalimanja has since directed that Commissioner of Police Innocent Bottoman who is now deceased and was one of the accused persons in the matter should not be directed linked to the current trial.

In an interview, one of the defense lawyers Alexius Nampota has expressed delight with commencement of the trial after four years.

He said: “Basically, the case has just started, after four years, we are happy that finally the case it has started, you will notice that essentially today the State was parading introductory witnesses, that are basically giving a background to the accused persons.”

However, during examination in chief, the defense objected the style in which the State was questioning the Kachama describing the process as leading questions.

“We want to conduct prosecution within the prosecution and defense rules, you know when the prosecution is parading witnesses is not supposed to ask leading questions, ” Nampota said.

Hearing of the matter is expected to continue on Tuesday where Kachama is expected to continue rendering his testimony.