February 2007
Administrator Dumps Brother's Kids At Orphanage
By Monica Kunda Tembo
A widow of Mongu in Western Province has told the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) that the administrator of her late husband's estate ended up taking her four children to Kasisi Orphanage after he failed to provide for them.
Monde Nalitumba told LRF Mongu paralegal Charity Nooyo said her late husband's brother, Ernest Kasonka, who was appointed administrator, failed to look after her children aged13, 10 and 8 and instead took them to the orphanage.
Nalitumba explained that at the time her husband was dying in 1999, she was very sick and was taken to the village in Mongu so that she could be nursed by her relatives.
She said when her husband died, Kasonka took over the responsibility of looking after the children since she was unwell.
Nalitumba said after recovering, she approached Kasonka to inquire about her children and discovered that they had been taken to Kasisi Orphanage in Lusaka because Kasonka thought that Nalitumba would also die.
She alleged that Kasonka allegedly forged letters indicating that Nalitumba gave him the children.
She alleged that Kasonka only gave her K700,000 from K18 million that he received as pension for her late husband and another K1 million from the K5 million repatriation allowance.
Nalitumba claimed that Kasonka did not give her any share from leave days allowance.
She also alleged that the administrator collects a monthly allowance from pensions office for the children but allegedly does not give her anything.
Nalitumba said she wants the LRF to help her get her share and that of the children from Kasonka.
Mansa paralegal Charity Noyoo is handling the matter.