By SYLVIA MWEETWA –

LIVINGSTONE Town Clerk Vivien Chikoti has pleaded not guilty to two counts of abuse of authority of office before Kabwe magistrate Chimuka Mutafela.
Ms Chikoti is jointly charged with former Kabwe Muncipal Council (KMC) director of engineering Cosmas Mpundu, who also took plea before Mr Mutafela on Friday.
The two are alleged to have abused the authority of their offices while employed as Town Clerk and director of engineering respectively at KMC between  October1, 2010  and  October 31, 2010.
Ms Chikoti and Mr Mpundu allegedly abused the authority of their offices in the manner they facilitated the awarding of a land survey contract to William Mhango amounting to K778, 100.
Trial has been set for next month while police bond for the two had been extended.
Recently the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested three former senior KMC officials.
The three are appearing in court, facing abuse of authority of office charges involving K260,000 after they were arrested by the ACC.
They are Victoria Mwanaumo, 56, a former director administration of house number 9, High Ridge Township, Daniel Mapulanga, 46, a former director planning of house number 2, Zambezi Avenue, and Edina Sakala, 47, a former chief accounting officer of house number 2088, Stanley Avenue.
They are alleged to have abused their respective offices by failing to follow laid-down procedure by irregularly approving payments amounting to K80, 000 to Kechas General Dealers for the roofing of Kasanda Market.
They also allegedly approved payments worth K180,000 for the purchase of a motor vehicle, for the office of the Town Clerk without following laid-down procedure.