Former Zambian foreign minister pleads not guilty to corruption charges

James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – Former Zambian Foreign Minister Joseph Malanji pleaded not guilty Friday to corruption charges and having goods suspected to be from crime proceeds.

Malanji is charged with former Treasury Secretary Fredson Yamba, and the pair is accused to have transferred funds abroad without following procedure.

Malanji, along with others who are unknown, is alleged to have possessed a helicopter deemed to be a crime proceed between January 2020 and August 2022.

He is also said to have possessed a hotel suspected to be another crime proceed.

Yamba, acting with others, allegedly transferred funds abroad for the procurement of real estate without following applicable laws and procedures.

He is said to have done so with Malanji on that charge.

The trial is set to being Oct. 7.

This is the second court case Malanji has faced in as many days after challenging an electoral commission decision Thursday to bar him from re-contesting his parliamentary seat.

His seat was nullified by the Constitutional Court on grounds that he did not possess the requisite academic qualification to run for parliamentary office.