Wed, 15 Nov 2017 10:27:49 +0000
By Justina Mulenga
THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court yesterday sentenced former MMD deputy minister of Local Government and Housing, Moses Muteteka to one year imprisonment with hard labour in one of the nine corruption charges he was facing.
The matter came up for judgment yesterday before magistrate Faidess Hamaundu where the accused was sentenced accordingly in the second and fifth count.
In this matter, Muteteka was facing nine counts of corruption when he was in office and has been acquitted in seven counts.
Muteteka has been fined K10, 000 in the second count, one year imprisonment with hard labour and two years suspended sentence.
On Friday January 11 2013, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) arrested the former minister and charged him with nine counts of corruption and abuse of office.
It is alleged that Muteteka, stole hammer mills, bicycles and some solar panels meant for his then constituency.
Particulars were that in count one, Muteteka on dates unknown but between January 1 2011 and December 31 2011, being a Member of Parliament for Chisamba constituency as well as deputy minister of local government and housing, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, did abuse the authority of his office by giving a hammer mill he obtained from Gender in Development Division (GIDD), meant for the Chisamba constituency, to his sister Rosemary Mulongwe.
The act was arbitrary and prejudicial to the interests of the government of the republic of Zambia.
In count 2, on dates unknown but between January 1 2010 and December 31 2010, he jointly and whilst acting together with other persons, did abuse the authority of his office by giving another hammer mill, to his other sister Elidah Mulongwe, “an act which was arbitrary and prejudicial to the interests of the government of the republic of Zambia.”
In the third count, Muteteka is on dates unknown but between January 1 2011 and December 31 2011, he further gave a hammer mill to his grandfather Mr. Daniel Lyatumba of Mwapwa village of Kapiri Mposhi district.
In count four, five and six, he is charged with similar offences over the hammer mills he gave to his nephew Isaac Paso, Terry Milambo and his sister-in-law Fallace Chito.
In count seven, Muteteka faces the charge of using Chisamba Constituency funds (CDF) to purchase 26 bicycles, two solar panels, one solar inserter, one solar regulator and one solar battery from SARO agro industrial limited without following the laid down constituency development funds guidelines.
And in count eight, it is alleged that Muteteka also bought six hammer mills from SARO Agro Industrial limited without following the laid down tender procedures and that he stole a hammer mill bearing engine number |d2.1006.07 1100037 and mill number 8146, the property of the Chibombo District Council.
