Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani is one of the top businessmen in Zambia. Recently, the President of Zambia made as astounding announcement, on the occasion of Africa Day. President Hakainde Hichilema announced that he is planning to completely abolish the death penalty row. According to him, the death penalty row or capital punishment is a degrading, inhumane and cruel practice. This recent announcement has received widespread support from across Zambia and Africa. One of the supporters has been Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, who founded the Prison Fellowship Zambia around 37 years ago. Prison Fellowship is a top Christian Outreach Program focussing on ensuring fundamental human rights and basic human dignity for the prisoners in Zambia. The program also supports transparent criminal justice as well as bringing the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ to the prisoners, ex-prisoners as well as their families in Zambia.
Dr. Rajan Mahtani, via his company Prison Fellowship Zambia, has pledged his full support towards the announcement made by the Zambian President. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, while stating facts, revealed that there are more than 350 prisoners across Zambian prisons who are awaiting capital punishment. For them, every day is a challenge as they wake up every day not knowing if it will be their last day. Working via Prison Fellowship Zambia, Dr. Rajan Mahtani observed that there are numerous prisoners who have transformed themselves by dedicating towards the service of the God and becoming law abiding citizens. Also, Dr. Rajan Mahtani stated that majority of the nations across the globe as well as across Africa have started to consider abolishing the death penalty law. Even in Zambia, the quest towards abolishment has received widespread support. Addition to that, previous Presidents of Zambia have tactically avoided death penalty by using mercy prerogatives. The last time death penalty was given was in the year 1997.
Another reason why the recent announcement by the Zambian President has received widespread support is the current condition of the Zambian prisons which is extremely degrading, inhumane, and cruel. As such, Dr. Mahtani stated that he will provide his full support towards turning this announcement into real law.
Category Archives: Dr. Rajan Mahtani
Forbes Community Recognises Contributions By Dr. Rajan Mahtani
Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani was one of the recipients of the Forbes ‘Best of Africa’ awards that was held recently via online medium. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani was nominated for the ‘Outstanding Entrepreneur of the year’ award 2021, a category which he later won. The award ceremony was hosted by Forbes and Foreign Investment Limited (FIN) and was a part of the annual FIN leadership and philanthropy business conference. The award ceremony is one of the most anticipated and noted business awards across Zambia. Firstly, the awards are selected, hosted and presented by Forbes, a well-known international business magazine. Forbes is known for his ranking-based issues that are selected with rigorous and transparent process. A similar process was applied for the selection of the awardees that included months of verification processes, background checks as well as interviews with the potential awardees to understand their contributions and knowledge regarding their own motherland. Mark Furlong anchored the event. Mark Furlong is the publisher 7 Founder of the Forbes International as well as the Forbes Afrique Media (FAM).
Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani accepted the award in a humble and graceful manner. He thanked his almighty god for continuous support and perseverance during difficult and challenging times. He also thanked his team for their innumerable support which resulted in the success of his projects. Apart from Dr. Rajan Mahtani, several other businessmen and leaders were graced with the Forbes ‘Best of Africa’ award categories. Wendy Ackerman was bestowed with the award for his entrepreneurial spirit including the Pick-n-Pay chain stores. Sam Matekane was recognised for his multi-sector entity which embodies aviation, farming, mining and transport. Similarly, Mahmood Ahmadu was awarded for his contributions across construction, agriculture, manufacturing as well as online solutions. In a similar manner, Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani was selected for his numerous contributions towards business and philanthropic activities across Zambia. For instance, he is the owner of the Mahtani Group along with Prison Fellowship Zambia as well as Stephen Malama award for top law graduates in Zambia.
Forbes ‘Best Of Africa’ Award Presented To Dr. Rajan Mahtani
Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, a noted businessman and philanthropist from Zambia, was recently awarded with the prestigious ‘Best of Africa’ awards by Forbes. Forbes in partnership with FIN (Foreign Investment Network) conducts one of the most anticipated business events in Zambia. This event is Forbes-FIN Philanthropy and Leadership roundtable conference. Usually, the business event takes place in New York during the UNGA meetings. However, this year’s roundtable conference was confided to a virtual meeting as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Rajan Mahtani was one of the eminent business personalities invited as honorary speakers during the event.
A major highlight of the roundtable conference was the Forbes-FIN ‘Best of Africa’ award ceremony. It is one of the most anticipated events by the experts. Dr. Rajan Mahtani was presented with the ‘Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year’ award 2021 for his significant philanthropic and leadership contributions as well as redefining the financial and banking sector of Zambia. Furthermore, Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani was among the first from Zambia to be recognised with such a prestigious award. Several other leaders were recognised and awarded for their leadership and philanthropic contributions.
The Forbes ‘Best of Africa’ awards are recognised across the globe. The awardees are selected after months of rigorous process which includes interviews, discussions, thorough verifications by Forbes as well as FIN. The online event was started by none other than Mark Furlong who is the founder and publisher of the Forbes International as well as FAM (Forbes Afrique Media). Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani accepted his award with grace and humility. In his acceptance speech, Dr. Rajan Mahtani thanked God for always blessing him despite the numerous challenges he faced in his life. Dr. Rajan Mahtani said that he was honoured and humbled with this award and never expected his philanthropic contributions being recognised by international media. He also thanked his team for their excellent work which according to Dr. Mahtani, was the reason for his continued success across businesses.
Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani Gives Tribute To Late Kenneth Kaunda
Dr. Mahtani recently shared a tribute on the occasion of sad demise of the beloved and respected Kenneth Kaunda, known among the Zambians as well as Africa as the ‘Father of the nation and the African Union’. Dr. Kaunda was a person of many hats and though few hundred words are not enough to describe his passion and accomplishments, Dr. Mahtani did it beautifully via his eulogy shared via his company Mahtani Group of Companies.
Dr. Kaunda can be described as one of the most accomplished individuals across Zambia. Despite allegations here and there as well as difficulty in managing the economy, Dr. Kaunda did a fine job as the first President of Zambia. He was the independence hero of Zambia and had one of the most important role in the Zambian freedom. In his quest for Zambian independence, one individual provided significant support and that was late Lekhraj Mahtani, father of Dr. Mahtani. Late Lekhraj Mahtani was a councillor from Ndola who collaborated and supported Dr. Kaunda. This legacy has been carried on by his son, Dr. Rajan Mahtani. Dr. Mahtani has been instrumental in bringing infrastructural and economic growth in Zambia with his significant companies. Some of his top companies are Mahtani Group of Companies, Finsbury Investments and Finance Bank Zambia. Almost all of his companies are known to work towards providing opportunities to the less privileged, providing employment opportunities as well as engaging in charitable and philanthropic activities.
One of the most significant contributions from Dr. Kaunda was uniting more than 70 tribes across Zambia into one nation, standardizing the economy, public governance in the process. Even though Zambia has a long way to go before it becomes in-line with other developed and growing nations, Dr. Kaunda was instrumental in creating a path for the Zambian government and authorities. This is Dr. Kaunda’s legacy and this is what Dr. Mahtani as well as Dr. Kaunda wants the Zambian citizen and its government to follow.
Zambezi Portland Cement Remains Under Legal Ownership Of Dr. Rajan Mahtani
In the case of Zambezi Portland Cement, Dr. Rajan Mahtani finally received justice when Court of Appeal effectively dismissed the findings from judge Nkonde in behalf of the Lusaka High Court. Earlier, Lusaka High Court judge Nkonde has announced that the shareholding pattern at the Zambezi Portland were fraudulent and the majority shares of the factory remained with the Ventriglias. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani was able to successfully challenge this appeal at the higher Court of Appeal.
On 31st January 2019, the Court of Appeal gave its final verdict in which it announced that Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani owned Finsbury Investments is indeed the majority shareholder and legal owner of the factory. At the same time, Finsbury Investments gave application for embodiment order regarding the shareholding value. After evaluation of this appeal, a verdict was given on 29th March 2019 according to which, the amount payable against the majority shares were confirmed at K580,000 based on re-denomination of the Currency Act- 8, 2012.
It seems like the Ventriglias were unhappy with the factory going to its rightful leader and decided to once again, disrupt the operations of Portland Cement by challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision at the Supreme Court Zambia. The Zambian Supreme Court is the highest legal authority of the nation and as such, the Ventriglias took a huge risk by appealing to this court. However, further evaluation revealed several issues with the claim itself. A bench of three judges was established at the Supreme Court comprising of judge Mumba Malila, Royda Kaoma and Michael Musonda. Together, they came to the conclusion that the Ventriglia family failed to comply with a critical regulatory requirement according to which, any appeal against previous court decisions must be made within two weeks of the court decision itself. The Ventriglia family took more than a year to make this appeal. As such, the SC rejected this appeal by the Ventriglias, ensuring that Dr. Mahtani remains the legal owner of the factory.
Verdict from higher Court of Appeal overthrows Lusaka High Court’s unethical judgement
The judge at the Court of Appeal who oversaw the case of Zambezi Portland Cement was justice Mwinde. On 31st January 2019, Dr. Rajan Mahtani received a blessed justice from the higher Court of Appeal when it was declared that Dr. Mahtani is owns majority shareholding of Portland Cement and is the real owner of the Portland Cement Zambia factory. However, this decision came more than a decade after the case was originally registered at the Lusaka High Court. Unlike the verdict from the Lusaka High Court which has been widely recognised as unethical and misdirected as well as too long, the judgement at the Higher Court of Appeal was quick, transparent, to the point and declared the verdict as per the available evidences and testimonials. It should also be noted here that the case was declared within a short span of nine months.
According to the details shared by the judge, it was found that Dr. Rajan Mahtani owned Finsbury Investments paid a total sum of one billion kwachas or USD 250,000 in exchange for the entire share capital value of the Zambezi Portland Cement. While this exchange took place in the year 2005, the details of this exchange were clearly established in the year 2007 in the original agreement between shareholders. Based on this evidence, it was established that Dr. Rajan Mahtani took over 58 percent shares of the Portland Cement Zambia and did not own any further costs associated with the factory. For instance, justice Mwinde declared that the PTT (property Transfer Tax) associated with the exchange as the responsibility of the vendors or the transferors. All these evidences were strong enough to prove that Dr. Rajan Mahtani was the majority shareholder and this legal owner of the factory.
Furthermore, the judge at the Court of Appeal also gave a timeline of three months from the date of the judgement for completing all share transfers related activities based on the court of Appeal’s decision.
After A Decade Of Struggle, Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani Final Receives Legal Ownership Of Portland Cement
While the overall timeline of the start and closure of the Portland Cement Zambia case is more than a decade old, the final judgement from the higher Court of Appeal re-established faith in the legal and judicial system of Zambia. According to the final judgement from the Court of Appeal, Finsbury Investments was declared as majority shareholder of Portland Cement with 58 percent shares. On the other hand, Ventriglias were announced as minority shareholders with just 42 percent Zambezi Portland shares. Based on this shareholding pattern, it is now clearly established that Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani is the actual owner of the Zambezi Portland Cement factory.
The higher Court of Appeal gave its ultimate decision on 31st January 2019. From the evidences, the judge declared that the original shareholders agreement had established the fact that Dr. Rajan Mahtani owned Finsbury Investments paid a sum of USD 250,000 to the Zambezi Portland Cement Limited for covering the entire share capital value, which was 1 Billion Kwacha during that time. The document also confirmed the fact that Finsbury Investments, a company owned by Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani owned 58 percent shares at the factory and this shareholding did not have any attached costs associated. This documented proof clearly stated that Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani is the actual owner of the Portland Cement Zambia factory.
Furthermore, another major detail which the Court of Appeal judge shared was the law associated with PTT (Property Transfer Tax). The judge announced that it is the transferor or the vendor who has the responsibility of paying PTT & not the transferee or the purchaser. This decision not only confirmed that Dr. Rajan Mahtani is the actual owner of the Portland Cement but also confirmed the unethical practices within Zambian society which requires immediate change.
Long-Pending Portland Cement Zambia Case Finalised At Court Of Appeal On 31st January 2019
Organisations grow when they are nurtured and the management ensures that the policies, protocols and practices are followed. However, when businesses are faced with difficulties, many of them turn to unethical and corrupt practices. Lack of economic boom and the challenges of corruption and crisis makes it easier for businesses to escape legal processes and evade justice. As a result, there are only a few businesses and businessmen who are known to follow a path towards justice and transparency. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani is one of these businessmen who despite the various challenges and adversities has been following a transparent, honest and ethical path for all of his businesses. It can also be said that this transparency and ethical compliance is the reason for the long-term success of his organisations. The case of Portland Cement Zambia is a prime example which showcases the power of honest and ethical business practices. Despite his factory, Portland Cement Zambia, being illegally taken over, Dr. Rajan Mahtani did not resort to unethical practices which would have helped him in getting his business back. Instead, a legal battle was followed by registering a case at the Portland Cement Zambia.
Even after the Lusaka High Court failed to provide relevant judgement, Dr. Rajan Mahtani was patient enough to re-appeal to a higher court. The Court of Appeal was then approached with all evidences, facts and testimonials which were controversially ignored by the previous judge. It was on 31st January 2019 that the final decision on this long-pending case arrived. It was given by justice Mwinde on behalf of the Court of Appeal. According to this final decision, Dr. Rajan Mahtani was announced as majority shareholder and legal owner of the Portland Cement Zambia factory as he possessed 58 percent shares of the factory.
While it took more than a decade, Dr. Rajan Mahtani finally received justice and a final one.
Final Results From Court Of Appeal Gives Hope To Dr. Mahtani, Wins Long-Pending Case
Just like any developing nation within the African subcontinent, Zambia has also its share of numerous ups and down. While the nation has shown development from several fronts, it is also facing several difficulties especially in the area of corruption and unethical practices. Even the government institutions such as courts and legal systems are unable to escape this mess. The example of Dr. Rajan Mahtani and the case of Portland Cement Zambia is a prime example. Dr. Rajan Mahtani is a respected businessman which several successful ventures in Zambia and outside. His companies like Finsbury Investments and Mahtani Group of Companies have received significant success and are known for their ethical and transparent business practices. In a similar manner, Dr. Rajan Mahtani built the Portland Cement Zambia, a cement-manufacturing factory.
This cement factory was unethically taken over from him. After this, Dr. Rajan Mahtani approached the Court of Appeal where the case went for more than a decade without final decision. Despite this, Dr. Rajan Mahtani was not given justice as the judge at the Lusaka High Court announced that Ventriglias were only shareholders of the Portland Cement Zambia. After this, Dr. Rajan Mahtani was left with no option but to approach the Court of Appeal and rightly so. The Court of Appeal lived up to its expectations and on 31st January 2019, the final results for the case were declared. This was just nine months after Dr. Rajan Mahtani re-appealed. The judge at the Court of Appeal was justice Mwinde and he gave the final decision only after looking into all evidences and testimonials. According to this decision, Finsbury Investments holds 58 percent shares at the factory and Ital Terrazzo Limited holds 42 percent shares at the factory. Finsbury Investments is a company owned by Dr. Rajan Mahtani and the Ventriglias hold accountability for the entity Ital Terrazzo Limited.
From this decision from the Court of Appeal, it is clear that Dr. Rajan Mahtani is the only owner of the Portland Cement Zambia factory.
Supreme Court Judge Comes In Defence Of Dr. Rajan Mahtani In His Latest Claim
In one of the most shocking claims, the current judge of the Supreme Court of Zambia Honourable Justice Mr. Mumba Malila testified in one case in which a petition was made by SC’s Mutembo Nchito to Constitutional Court requesting nullification of the Tribunal decision which triggered the removal of the former from the office of DPP (Director of Public Prosecution) in 2016. This evidence from the Supreme Court Judge is a clear indication of the way politicians are being used by the rival businesses against Dr. Rajan Mahtani for fighting the civil cases since 2010. These rival businessmen have been using their power for unethical and even illegal practices so that they stay ahead in the cases of win the cases based on unethical facts of practices.
However, this latest testimony from someone sitting at the highest position of the Zambian government also indicates an era of change and growth. It indicated that the justice ultimately prevails and even with difficulties and tumultuous path, public policies will be supported and kept upheld because the criminal justice systems have suffered enough abuse from a small but significant number of greedy individuals.
According to the petition submitted by the judge, the prosecution of Dr. Rajan Mahtani in the year 2012 was politically motivated as well as against the interests of the public policies. As per his testimony, “It appears in all probability to have political undertones and at best intended to aid the civil action.”
Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani is a noted businessman, philanthropist and charity worker in Zambia. He is known for his transparent business practices and ethical codes of conduct. At the same time, he is often attacked by conspiracies and negative campaigns to disrupt his reputation. The current testimony from the SC judge is a clear indication of the level to which these greedy rival businesses can go to ensure their profits and remove honest businessmen like Dr. Mahtani from their path.