Council officials convicted of funds abuse
The Zomba Magistrate’s Court has convicted and fined four Zomba City Council officials for theft by public servant, forgery and giving false information to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
In September 2008, ACB received a complaint alleging that Lawrence Mkombezi, an accounts clerk and Zomba City Council district Aids coordinator a Mrs Mchombo misappropriated K3 487 350 National Aids Commission (NAC) funds meant for training caregivers.
In a press statement made available to The Nation, ACB says after receiving the complaint, they instituted investigations into the matter and established that Mchombo was not directly involved in the issue.
“It further established that Mrs. Olivier Msyamboza, district social welfare officer of Zomba District Council and Mr. Lawrence Mkombezi, accounts assistant at Zomba City Council misappropriated the funds.
“Mr. Harry Gondwe, assistant district social welfare officer and Mr. Leviak Mhango gave false information to the bureau by confirming that the trainings for caregivers took place when they were never conducted,” reads the statement signed by ACB senior public relations officer Egrita Ndala.
The statement further says on March 17 2017, the court convicted Msyamboza and Mkombezi on the counts of theft by public servant and forgery, contrary to sections 283 (1), 354 and 351 of the Penal Code.
Mkombezi was further charged with an additional count of possession of unexplained property contrary to Section 32 of the Corrupt Practices Act.
Gondwe and Mhango were convicted on one count of giving false information to ACB, contrary to Section 14 (1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices Act, and were fined K300 000 each which they paid.
The statement further advises the citizenry not to give false information to ACB as it is an offence. n
