Zomba City and District Councils officers jailed over K3.4 million NAC Funds
Zomba Magistrates Court on Thursday sentenced to prison four Zomba City and District Councils’ officers for misappropriating K3, 487, 350.00 National AIDS Commission (NAC) meant for training of care givers.
The four, District Social Welfare Officer, Oliver Msyamboza, City Council Accounts Assistant, Lawrence Mkombezi, Assistant District Social Welfare Officers, Harry Gondwe and Leviak Mhango were arrested and subsequently convicted following the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigations.
Msyamboza and Nkombezi were convicted on the count of theft by public servant and forgery contrary to Sections 283 (1), 354 and 351 of the Penal Code respectively.
Nkombezi was also charged with an additional count of possession of unexplained property contrary to Section 32 of the Corrupt Practices Act.
While Gondwe and Mhango were convicted on one count of giving false information to the Anti-Corruption Bureau officers contrary to Section 14 (1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices Act.
And on Thursday (April 6th, 2017) the court slapped Msyamboza and Mkombezi with three years and eight months imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for the offence of theft by public servant and forgery.
Mkombezi has also been slapped with another one year imprisonment on additional charge of being in possession of unexplained property. His sentences are to run concurrently from the date of conviction.
The court fined Gondwe and Mhango K300,000.00 each for the offence of giving false information to the Bureau. The two have since paid the fines.
ACB arrested the convicts on 23rd May, 2012 following a complaint In September, 2008 which alleged that Nkombezi and a Mrs. Mchombo, District AIDS Coordinator, misappropriated the funds.
However, ACB’s instituted investigations cleared a Mrs. Mchombo as she was not directly involved in the matter.
The Bureau established that Msyamboza and Nkombezi misappropriated the funds while Gondwe and Mhango gave false information confirming that the trainings for caregivers took place when they were never conducted
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So so sad, I know the woman from my old days at Sadzi. whatever the case but the woman is good, she was just caught in office politics. my heart goes to the wonderful children and the father. This too shall pass. Be encouraged Cha, Ul….
so sad, our finance minister Mr GOODALL GONDWE emphasized that those who think they are not paid enough should go to private sector is quite true and wise…What are we profiting by stealing from government cofer… Only to be found in prison,and loose jobs…Malawians, its too much ,,stop stealing,, learn to invest the little we earn….