The Native Iowan

Mark Kemakeza

Member of Parliament for Gela and Minister for Mines and Energy Mark Kemakeza had his trial adjourned yesterday afternoon so he could attend a Cabinet meeting.

This was after the fourth prosecution witness, Minister of Finance, Gordon Darcy Lilo gave his evidence in court.

Kemakeza’s lawyer is yet to cross-examine the witness.

Principal Magistrate Shafi Khan adjourned the trial to this afternoon.

The MP is facing two counts of conversion, two counts of official corruption and one count of abuse office.

It was alleged that he used the public funds allocated for a fishing project in his constituency in August to November, 2007 worth $764,000.

In his evidence, Lilo confirmed seeing the applications made by those who applied for the fishing micro project in 2007.

He also confirmed that there was a Caucus meeting in September 2007.

The meeting was held specifically to deal with 2007 rural micro fisheries project.

He said Kemakeza also attended the meeting but when he was asked by the prosecution whether Kemakeza said anything at the meeting, Lilo said he did not actually remember but believed the MP did say something at the meeting.

“The recordings will prove that” he said.

The purpose of the meeting, Lilo said was due to numerous complaints about the money of Government funded projects for various ministries.

He said some applicants who received cash instead of buying equipment or materials the money was intended for, used it for other purposes.

“All the cheques approved will be received by the MPs and then delivered to all project recipients.” He said.

Cabinet however did not authorise MPs to deposit in any person’s account but to ensure purchases to the supplier.

The applications made by those applicants will have to go through various stages for screening before it goes up to the Cabinet for approval.

The last person the application goes through is Lilo who confirmed seeing the applications before it goes to the Cabinet.

This was after the applications go through the chief fisheries officer, director of fisheries and then to the permanent secretary for fisheries.

Lilo said the first amount of funding was $6 million which $484,000 of this amount was to go to ten applicants from the Central Province.

The second amount of funding was for $3 million where this funding was to be directly transferred into the constituency accounts of selected MPs.

The court heard that of that amount, $280,000 was transferred to Kemakeza’s account constituency account.