This means Nyirongo will have to serve four years in prison.
Magistrate Newa said the sentencing of the former minister should serve as an example for others who abused their authority.
In the first count, Nyirongo between January 1 and February 22, 2006,
being a person employed in the public service, directed a Lands
officer, Daisy Mulenga, to generate offer letters of land in Foxdale,
Chamba Valley in Lusaka to 10 people.
In the second count, Nyirongo abused her position by directing
Christopher Chewe, a junior technician in the Ministry of Agriculture,
to subdivide a former Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) farm,
number F/390a, in contravention of the land alienation procedures, and
created property number 1/19634/m for herself.
In the first count, I have found the defendant guilty as charged and
sentence her to 24 months simple imprisonment with immediate effect and
in the second count, I have found the convict guilty as charged and
sentence her to 48 months simple imprisonment with immediate effect,
Ms Newa said.
She said being a public figure, Nyirongo was supposed to have used her
office to build or strengthen the Ministry of Lands and not direct
officers at her will because this would result in anarchy and total
disregard of the law and procedure.
The magistrate said the nation looked up to its leaders for the
development of the country and where leaders failed to provide that
leadership and no matter the situation.
Ms Newa said in the first count, the defence team failed to
cross-examine Mulenga because she was a credible witness who was acting
on instructions from her superiors.
She said it was clear from the evidence before the court that Nyirongo
directed Mulenga to generate letters of offer of lands to 10 people who
did not apply for the land.
In the second count, Ms Newa ruled that if Nyirongo was not interested
in acquiring farm number F/390a, she could have not directed Chewe to
sub-divided the land.
In mitigation through lawyer Robson Malipenga, Nyirongo said she was a
family person who was a sole bread-winner of a big family which
included sisters and orphaned children who entirely depended on her for
food and education.
Nyirongo said she was a member of the National Constitutional
Conference (NCC) and member of Parliament representing the people of
Bwacha constituency in Kabwe in the National Assembly for the
well-being of the citizens in the country.
The former minister further said she was a reverend who had been
guiding and leading many people to know God and that her contribution
to developing the country had been disturbed by the court cases.
She said for the past two years, she had suffered enough from the court
cases, as she had to endure the pain and embarrassment that arose from
the cases.
Nyirongo urged the court to consider that in some instances, she acted to help the disadvantaged that could not acquire land.
She said considering her age and health, she deserved a non-custodial sentence. – Times of Zambia
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