Ex-Energy Regulation Board boss, Sitali, to appear in court October 16 to defend corruption charges

The Lusaka Magistrate court has found former Energy Regulation Board (ERB) Chief Executive Officer, Butler Sitali, with a case to answer on corruption charges.

Magistrate Sylvia Munyinya ruled the Prosecution has established a prima facie against Sitali in a matter he was accused of corruptly offering and giving K500 cash gratification to a public officer, an office assistant at ERB, Emmanuel Mengo.

It is alleged it was a reward for Mengo to obtain 45 documents from ERB for the accused.

Among the documents were ERB financial reports, board paper on the revision of board allowances dated July 2011, minutes of the 24th
meeting of finance, human resource and administration board held on June 17, 2011 and interim performance management board allowances
for July 2011.

These documents were obtained without the authority of ERB.

In count two, Sitali was alleged to have between September 1 and September 30, 2014, corruptly offered K100 cash gratification to Mengo to obtain ERB minutes arising from the agenda from the 25th finance, human resource and administration committee meeting, which was to be held at ERB boardroom, then at Premium House on July 27, 2011.

After Magistrate Munyinya placed him on his defence, Sitali informed the court he would call witnesses to aid his case.

He would open his defence on October 16, 2023.

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