Former Treasury Chief Yamba Convicted in $4.6 Million Corruption Scheme
LUSAKA – A Lusaka court has convicted former Treasury chief Fredson Yamba of abuse of office and unlawfully authorizing $4.6 million in public funds, delivering a landmark verdict in a trial closely watched by anti-corruption advocates.
Magistrate Irene Wishimanga found Yamba guilty on two counts for his role in financing the purchase of a property for Zambia’s mission in Turkey through a scheme that flagrantly bypassed national procurement laws and budgetary oversight.
The verdict, delivered Wednesday at the Lusaka Magistrate Court, represents a severe fall from grace for Yamba, once one of the government’s most powerful technocrats. He was tried alongside former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji, who faces related charges.
The court detailed how Yamba, in his capacity as Secretary to the Treasury, single-handedly approved the multi-million dollar disbursement without the legally required parliamentary approval or Cabinet mandate. The ruling stated he also ignored the Ministry of Works and Supply, the entity legally responsible for government real estate acquisitions.
The Convictions:
-
Count 1: Abuse of Office. Yamba approved the $4.6 million payment outside the approved government budget framework.
-
Count 2: Unlawful Authorisation of Funds. He bypassed procurement protocols and failed to obtain necessary approvals, violating the Public Finance Management Act.
In her summary, Magistrate Wishimanga stated that Yamba’s actions “opened the door for the misapplication of public resources” and directly set the stage for the alleged money laundering activities outlined in the broader case.
While sentencing is pending, the guilty verdict on these core charges significantly strengthens the state’s case. The court continues to deliberate on the remaining counts against both Yamba and Malanji.
The case is seen as a critical test of Zambia’s judicial resolve to hold high-level officials accountable for graft. Sentencing is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.
It’s important to know the track record: how many years in government, and how many administrations a person has served under, not just “former.” Please include a clear timeline of service for public officials mentioned in reports, so readers can assess accountability and experience beyond party labels. This helps voters make informed judgments, especially in graft cases like the Yamba-Malanji convictions.
Nice one!
What happens to the laundered money?
Conviction without recovery is academic exercise.
Joe Malanji’s judgement should aso have been done in absentia.
Get a government and/or independent doctor to certify that crook’s purported illness.
Let us resolve some of the accomodation problems @ Copperbelt University by legally recovering proceeds of proven crime.
No scared cows.
Malanji the so called Bonanza, should hand over the two helicopters that he bought using GRZ money to either ZAF or the flying doctor services and then get jailed proper. Yamba should be given more lenience and clemency by the courts because senior people to him are the beneficiaries not him and they coerced him to approve the payment of funds
Scared cows are customary if you dont know
only with pre election in the air does this fade slighly
Make sure to send him to prison for not less than 10 years, to deter others from engaging in these corrupt crimes. Corruption should not be tolerated in Zambia.