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Meanwhile, Banda was yesterday slapped with a new offence of corrupt practices by a public officer, and has been jointly charged with a Chinese, Jack Gao.
Shortly after his arrival at the Lusaka Magistrates' Court, where he was scheduled to commence trial in a case of concealing gratification, Banda told Andrew to pray all the time.
Andrew and his wife Elidah walked over to greet Banda and his special secretary Mikatazo Wakumelo.
Extending a handshake to his father, Andrew, who is also facing corruption charges in court, remarked that he had prayed the previous day for God's favour.
The former head of state then chuckled as he greeted his daughter-in-law and asked Andrew when he was going to start praying permanently.
"You prayed...? You should pray all the time. When are you going to start praying permanently? You should not only remember to pray when you are in trouble," Banda said.
Andrew responded that he always remembered to pray to God.
And after the case was adjourned, Banda told his supporters not to worry because the State did not have a strong case against him.
He explained to a small group of cadres that the prosecution team had decided to add another person to the indictment.
"Thank you everybody, thank you very much for coming. Lomba aikapo munthu muyakine nochita adjourn (Now they have added another person and adjourned). Don't worry; there is nothing at all. God knows," Banda said as his supporters agreed, saying the State was trying to squeeze a case out of him.
"Bakali kusakila sakila mulandu wabasoba, osavutika daddy; mulungu ndiye aziba (They are still looking for the offences but they can't find any. Don't worry daddy; only God knows)," one supporter commented.
After addressing the cadres, a sympathiser Brebner Changala asked Banda about his afternoon programme, to which he responded, "From here, firstly I will go and remove the jacket and throw it away then go to the farm."
Changala then asked Banda when he was going to send him some bananas from the farm.
"Do you still have bananas at the farm? My children keep asking me, saying 'why doesn't RB give us some bananas?'," Changala requested before Banda told him that he was welcome anytime.
In the new charge, Banda has been indicted with Jack, a director from Sogecao Zambia Limited and Sogecao Construction and Engineering Investments, companies that allegedly bribed Banda with the said motor vehicles.
He is also facing two charges of corrupt practices and concealing gratification of 10 motor vehicles from two Chinese companies ahead of the 2011 general elections.
When the matter came up for commencement of trial before principal resident magistrate Obbister Musukwa, Anti Corruption Commission prosecutor Dennis Simwinga told the court that he had an application to make pursuant to section 213 of the Criminal Procedure Code Chapter 88 of the Laws of Zambia.
He said the application was to include an additional charge on Banda's indictment and also add other persons.
Defence lawyer Mulenga Chiteba said he had no objection to the addition of a new charge but that his client was not ready to take plea.
Magistrate Musukwa allowed the application but adjourned the matter to November 28 for possible plea.
It is alleged that Sogecao Zambia Limited and Sogecao Construction and Engineering Investments, which companies are subsidiaries of Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company of China, a company that had dealings with the Zambian government, on dates unknown but between January 1, 2011 and August 30, 2011, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown corruptly gave 10 motor vehicles to Banda being a person holding and performing functions of the President of the Republic of Zambia as gratification or reward for himself in return for his favourable treatment of these companies in their dealing with the government of which he was head.
The motor vehicles in question are Mitsubishi Canter chassis number FE538E-520252, Mitsubishi Canter chassis number FE649E-520121, Mitsubishi Canter chassis number FE648E-501363, Mitsubishi Canter chassis number FE648E-501111, Mitsubishi Canter chassis number FE63EG-550624, Hino Ranger chassis number FD2JLB-16068, Toyota Toyoace chassis number BU212-0104855, Fuso Fighter chassis number FK618K-510102, Mitsubishi Canter chassis number FE638E-521633 and Toyota Toyoace chassis number BU102-o107304, all valued at US$180,000 (K471,000).
According to consent to prosecute the matter, Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito stated that pursuant to the powers vested in him by section 59(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act No 38 of 2010, he had sanctioned the prosecution of Banda for corrupt practices by a public officer and concealing gratification.
Nchito also sanctioned the prosecution of Sogecoa Zambia Limited and Sogecoa Construction and Engineering Investments Limited for one count of corrupt practices with a public officer contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
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