By Linda Soko Tembo
After the Ndola High Court lifted a seizure order on US$215,000 in Chief Nkana’s account—frozen by the ACC in 2022 over suspected proceeds of crime—former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo, now serving a four-year sentence for corruption and tax evasion, claimed a large share, sparking a fresh legal battle between the two.
The Commission says the seizure was lawful and necessary for its money-laundering investigation, but Godfrey Shamanena, the current Chief Nkana disputes this and has taken the ACC to the Economic and Financial Crimes Court claiming for damages. Trial for this case is scheduled for July 29, 2025.
While that case proceeds, Lusambo—speaking through his lawyers from prison—has launched his own claim. He alleges that between 2021 and 2022, he played a key role in negotiations for the sale of Bisma Mining Limited to Grizzly Mining Limited, owned by businessman Ndiaye Abdoulaye, widely known as Gunnase.
Lusambo says he resolved legal disputes that paved the way for the sale, and as part of the deal, US$165,000 was to be shared between himself (US$105,000), Chieftainess Malembeka (US$50,000), and Chief Nkana (US$30,000).
He points to a letter, allegedly authored by the Chief to Grizzly Mining, instructing payment of his share. Instead, he claims, the full US$165,000 was deposited into the Chief’s personal account—the same account later frozen by the ACC.
When the court released the funds this year, Lusambo says the Chief refused to pay, prompting his lawyers at Makebi Zulu Advocates to issue a demand letter on June 24, 2025. With no response, Lusambo secured an injunction freezing the account again.
Chief Nkana rejects the allegations, insisting Lusambo had no role in the US$5 million transaction, which he says was handled solely by Muya and Company. He is now seeking to have the injunction lifted.
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