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The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court is today expected to allocate—and possibly take plea—in a case involving former Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) Director General, Victor Nyasulu and three other senior officials accused of breaching public procurement laws in the acquisition of medicines and medical supplies.
Nyasulu is jointly charged with former Director of Supply Planning, Nalishebo Siyandi, Director of Procurement, Nchimunya Habbadu and Dr John Kachimba.
The four face seven counts ranging from abuse of authority of office to willful failure to comply with procurement procedures in contracts awarded to 26 companies.
The matter had earlier stalled before outgoing Chief Resident Magistrate Davies Chibwili after the State applied to amend the indictment, prompting an adjournment to allow for revisions before allocation.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences stem from a “mop-up” procurement exercise conducted between late 2023 and early 2024 involving essential medicines, including anti-cancer drugs, adjuvants and reproductive health commodities.
In the first three counts, Nyasulu, Siyandi and Habbadu are accused of arbitrarily approving contracts, including awarding a tender to a company that submitted its bid after the official closing date.
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They are further alleged to have authorised procurement processes based on questionable needs assessments and approvals exceeding acceptable price-reasonableness thresholds.
Nyasulu, in a separate charge, is alleged to have authorised the receipt of medicines without adherence to tender procedures.
Siyandi faces an additional count for initiating procurement based on suppliers’ declared stock levels rather than verified national requirements.
Meanwhile, the trio is jointly charged with awarding contracts to selected pharmaceutical companies without conducting any evaluation, contrary to procurement regulations.
Dr Kachimba is accused in a standalone count of unlawfully directing a waiver for market authorisation in the procurement process, allegedly in breach of the Medicines and Allied Substances Act.
The case is expected to proceed today for allocation and possible plea.
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