Payments disguised as ZRA taxes sent to suspected private account around time of IBA chief’s murder, court told

More than K3 million disguised as statutory tax payments to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) was transferred into an alleged private account between May and July 2024, with some transactions occurring just a day before and after the murder of Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Director General Guntila Muleya, the Lusaka High Court heard on Thursday.

Evidence presented in court showed that the transactions—processed through banking instructions listing ZRA as the beneficiary—were flagged over suspicions that the funds may have been diverted.

The case relates to the killing of Muleya, who was murdered on July 23, 2024, in the Njolwe area of Chongwe.

Police officers M’Thusani Dokowe and Caleb Zulu, along with Samuel Dokowe and accountant Francis Chipyoka, are jointly charged with the offence.

Testifying before the Lusaka High Court, Access Bank Kamwala Branch manager Mitiyao Nyirenda said the bank processed several transfers on the strength of instructions it received from IBA.

He cited payments of K549,437.67 on July 22, a day before Muleya’s killing, and K462,447.67 on July 24, the day after the incident.

Nyirenda told the court that the bank had no mandate to verify the ownership of the purported ZRA account beyond details contained in the documents presented.

Read More: Witness tells court funds approved for ZRA were diverted in Muleya murder case

“Our role is limited to effecting transfers as instructed. Once the funds are sent, confirmation of the receiving account rests with the receiving bank,” he said.

The court further heard that although all documentation identified ZRA as the beneficiary, some records did not clearly show who physically delivered the payment instructions.

Nyirenda said a transaction dated June 24 was delivered by Chipyoka, another dated July 5 by Peter Hambiya, and a separate instruction dated June 4 was submitted by Namel Mulenga.

The alleged diversion of funds took place in the period surrounding Muleya’s abduction and murder, adding a financial dimension to the high-profile trial.

The hearing continues on Friday.

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