The Siavonga Subordinate Court has convicted a Chirundu Town Council Revenue Collector for corrupt practices.
According to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono, 44 year old Clever Habukali was arrested by the Commission in 2019 and was charged with three counts of theft by public servant and three counts of fraudulent false accounting contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Mr. Moono said details in the first count are that on 29th January 2018, Habukali, being a public servant, stole K480 property of the Chirundu Town Council, while in the second count, he stole K480, property of the Chirundu Town Council.
He added that the convict in the third Count, stole another K 480 on 29th January 2019, being property of the Chirundu Town Council, and was further charged with three counts of fraudulent false accounting contrary to the laws of Zambia.
“In 2019 the Anti- Corruption Commission in Chirundu arrested Clever Habukali, 44, of Mission Area in Chirundu, and charged him with three counts of theft by public servant contrary to section 272 of the penal code cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia and three counts of fraudulent false accounting contrary to section 326(b) of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.”
“In Count one, particulars of the offence are that on 22nd January 2018, in Chirundu, Habukali, being a public servant namely revenue Collector did make a false entry on a duplicate copy of a receipt dated 22nd January 2018 a matter or transaction that concerns Chirundu Town Council a Public Body. In the second count, Habukali, on 26th January 2018, with intent to defraud made a false entry on duplicate copy of a receipt dated 26th January 2018, while in count three, on 29th January 2018, Habukali made another false entry on a duplicate receipt dated 29th January 2018, a matter or transaction which concerns Chirundu Town Council a public body,” Mr. Moono said.
Mr. Moono stated that when the matter came up for commencement of defence, the accused informed the Court that he wished to change his plea from not guilty to guilty and he was accordingly convicted on all the 6 counts on his own admission and given a suspended sentence of 3 months for each count with hard labour.