MAGISTRATE COURT CONVICTS KAPOKO’S ALLY

A Lusaka Magistrate has convicted and fined Henry Kapoko’s ally Terence Mparuri for being in possession of property suspected to have been stolen.

Maparuri 37, of plot numbers 422 Avondale, was convicted and fined K2 million for being in possession of an unregistered motor vehicle namely a Ford Ranger which he failed to account for.

This is contained a press release issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Public relations Officer Timothy Moono.

Mr. Moono explained that the vehicle was one of the motor vehicles seized from Kapoko in 2009 following investigations of corruption against him involving over K27 billion.

He disclosed that Mparuri was charged with by the joint investigation team on three counts which include giving false information to a public officer contrary to section 125 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Mr. Moono said the other charges are making false documents contrary to 342 and 347 penal code chapters 87 of the laws of Zambia, uttering of false documents contrary to the Laws of Zambia and being in possession of property suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

He explained that Magistrate Walusiku found Mparuri guilty of being in possession of an unregistered Ford Ranger for which he failed to give proper account or explanation of how he came in to possession of the motor vehicle.

He noted that the investigations officers found the said motor vehicle in the custody of Henry Kapoko who told investigators that he had hired the said vehicle from Mparuri.

Mr. Moono said Mparuri however, stated that he had bought it from Sibusiso Dhlamini of Swaziland whom he failed to bring before court to confirm that he was the one that sold the vehicle to the accused person.

Magistrate Walusiku convicted and fined Mparuri K2 million in default nine months simple imprisonment and the vehicle has since been forfeited to the state.

In a related development, a Lusaka Magistrate court has convicted two people for bribing a public officer with K500,000 cash gratification and sentenced them to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.

Magistrate Ruth Chilembo found Shepard Makwaza and John Sinfukwe both aged 32 and living at House Number 116/8 John Howard compound in Lusaka guilty of corruptly offering K600, 000 and giving K500, 000 cash gratification to a public officer contrary to section 29(2) and 41 of the Anti Corruption Act number 42 of 1996.

Mr. Moono said it was alleged that the duo on dates unknown but between 15^th day of January, 2009 and 19^th day of January 2009 at Lusaka in the Lusaka District of the Lusaka province of the Republic of Zambia, jointly and whilst acting together corruptly offered to give K600, 000 to a named officer of the Drug Enforcement Commission.

Mr. Moono said the offer was as an inducement or reward for the said officer to release suspects from custody, a matter that concerned the Drug Enforcement Commission as a public body.

He added that the convicts were arrested on 20^th January 2009 and the sentence was handed down to run with effect from 15^th October 2012.

ZANIS