A Zambian court on Thursday sentenced former Foreign Minister Joseph Malanji to four years in prison with hard labour after finding him guilty of corruption.
Malanji, who served in President Edgar Lungu’s administration from 2018 to 2021, was arrested in late 2021 over allegations that he used embezzled public funds to acquire high-value assets including two Bell 420 helicopters.
The conviction represents a rare success for Zambia’s anti-corruption prosecutors in a country consistently ranked among the most corrupt globally, according to Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Delivering the verdict, Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga acknowledged that both defendants were first-time offenders deserving some leniency.
However, she ultimately handed Malanji a sentence of four years imprisonment with hard labour.
His co-accused, Fredson Yamba, former Secretary to the Treasury, was sentenced to three years in prison.
Yamba was found guilty of unlawfully authorizing the transfer of over $8 million to Zambia’s diplomatic mission in Turkey without proper justification.
It remains unclear whether Malanji and Yamba intend to appeal the ruling.
The pair are the highest-ranking officials from former President Lungu’s government to be convicted on graft charges since President Hakainde Hichilema came to power in 2021.
Hichilema campaigned on a strong anti-corruption platform and has repeatedly pledged to hold former officials accountable.
However, critics argue that tangible progress in the fight against corruption has been slow.
Despite being rich in copper and natural resources, over 64% of Zambia’s population continues to live in poverty, underscoring the urgency of reform and accountability in public office.
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