Former Zambian foreign minister Joseph Malanji sentenced to four years for graft
Malanji, who served under former president Edgar Lungu between 2018 and 2021, was arrested in late 2021 for allegedly using embezzled public funds to acquire property, including two Bell 420 helicopters.
A Zambian court has sentenced former foreign minister Joseph Malanji to four years in prison with hard labour for corruption, marking a rare victory for state prosecutors in a country long troubled by graft.
Malanji, who served under former president Edgar Lungu between 2018 and 2021, was arrested in late 2021 for allegedly using embezzled public funds to acquire property, including two Bell 420 helicopters.
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His co-accused, former treasury secretary Fredson Yamba, was handed a three-year sentence.
"I have heard the spirited mitigation by counsel and taken note that the convicts are first offenders and are entitled to leniency," Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga said in her ruling.
However, she directed that the 60-year-old Malanji serve "four years imprisonment with hard labour."
President Hakainde Hichilema has vowed to crack down on corruption, though critics say his efforts have been slow.
The ruling comes at a time when more than 64 per cent of Zambians live in poverty despite the country being one of the world’s largest copper producers.
Transparency International’s 2024 perception index continues to rank Zambia among the most corrupt nations.
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