Namata gets 8 yrs, Kasamba 4.5yrs for Cashgate

The High Court in Lilongwe yesterday sentenced Cashgate convicts Maxwell Namata and Luke Kasamba to eight years and four and a half years respectively for theft and money laundering.

In mitigation, the convicts said they had returned about K24 million they are accused to have stolen from the State, but High Court judge Annabel Mtalimanja ruled that such a gesture should not be used as “a gateway card to escape jail”.

Said the judge: “The scheme of money laundering laws is to confiscate the proceeds of crime and not just the principal sum stolen.”

She further ruled that returned stolen funds should not be used to absorb the loss the State suffered under Cashgate as the convicts still benefited from proceeds of crime.

Last week, special Cashgate prosecutor Kamudoni Nyasulu, who has now won all the four concluded cases in court, had pleaded with the judge for a longer jail sentence.

Namata, a former civil servant, was sentenced to consecutive custodial sentences of three years and five years for theft and money laundering respectively.

Kasamba, only found guilty on the second count of money laundering, but whose lawyers had earlier appealed for a lenient sentence citing health concerns, was jailed to four years and six months.

Namata looked emotionless throughout the proceedings yesterday while Kasamba was downcast.

Said Mtalimanja: “These were not crimes of opportunity, but careful thought was applied.”

She said the impact of Cashgate has overwhelmed the nation both economically and socially.

Nyasulu left the court without speaking to journalists while defence lawyers refused to comment, saying they will wait for their clients’ instructions before reacting on the ruling.

The duo now joins Victor Sithole who was sentenced to nine-years, TressaSenzani serving a three-year sentence and Wyson Dzinyemba Soko who will serve a seven-year term.