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Special prosecutor in the Cashgate cases, Kamudoni Nyasulu, yesterday indicated to Zomba High Court that the charges brought in to chief suspect, Osward Lutepo, have surged from K3.1 billion to K4.3 billion.
The revelation came as further investigations had revealed that more money was stolen and not the amount that was charged before, said Nyasulu.
However Lawyers representing Lutepo, denied to take a plea on the new charges saying that they were presented with a late notice.
According to lutepo, his team did not have enough time to look at the new charge sheet as they were served with it on Tuesday and had to travel from Mzuzu the same day.
Lutepo’s case, in which he was initially accused of stealing and laundering money, has now been amended to possession and money laundering.
Speaking after court hearing Nyasulu closely followed by Justice Radson Kapindu, said there were some bank accounts which had not been checked; hence, the amendment.
“New evidence has been brought to our knowledge that the money in question is actually more than what was earlier presented in court,” said Nyasulu.
According to Nyasulu, the State has already filed for the amendment of the new charges.
He further said the case, which will start from September 4, and will parade 14 witnesses who include three investigators and 11 civilian witnesses.
Lutepo, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges leveled against him, said his team is not trying to delay the case, “but justice must be served at all costs”.
Osward Lutepo is also answering a case of perjury in which he claims that former Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Bruno Kalemba, former Justice Minister Fahad Assani and Nyasulu forced him to write witness and caution statements to implicate former Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara and lawyer Wapona Kita.
