Court convicts corrupt civil servant and village headman

The Magistrates Court in Mchinji district has convicted and slapped with jail sentence a Ministry of Agriculture officer and village headman who were found guilty of indulging in corrupt practices.

The two, Elijah Kabotolo Agricultural Extension Development Officer (AEDO) and Paul Walaza (village headman Kayesa) were arrested by Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) for creating a ghost village in Mchinji district.

Case details are that during the 2008/09 growing season, the two connived to create a ghost village named as Makhula/Kayesa 2 village with the aim of obtaining the subsidized farm input coupons for themselves.

The ACB arrested the two on August 2012 after investigation unveiled sufficient evidence against Kabotolo and Walaza.

The Bureau charged Kabotolo and Walaza with two counts of abuse of office contrary to Section 25B(1) of the Corrupt Practices Act and of giving false information to a person employed in the public service contrary to Section 122 of the Penal Code.

Despite pleading not guilty, the court convicted them on both charges.

And on Friday they were sentenced to 36 months and 21 months imprisonment with hard labour on each of the two counts respectively.

However, the court has suspended for two years on condition that they do not commit any Corrupt Practices Act offence within the suspension period.

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