Malanji Convicted in Helicopter and Property Corruption Case

Malanji Convicted in Helicopter and Property Corruption Case

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji has been convicted on seven out of eight charges in a landmark corruption case that has captured national attention. The Lusaka Magistrate Court, presided over by Magistrate Irene Wishimanga, delivered a damning judgment that placed the former minister at the centre of illicit financial transactions, property acquisitions, and the misuse of public resources disguised as private ventures.

Represented by lawyer Makebi Zulu, who also acts as family spokesman for former president Edgar Lungu, Malanji faced charges that spanned the acquisition of luxury assets and the manipulation of financial channels to conceal their origins. The case, often dubbed the “Helicopter Corruption Trial,” has been closely followed as a test of Zambia’s resolve to address entrenched corruption among its political elite.

Malanji was convicted on Counts 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, while being acquitted on Count 5. The charges related primarily to the illegal acquisition of high-value properties and aircraft using funds the court determined to be proceeds of crime. Magistrate Wishimanga found that the transactions were structured to disguise ownership and obscure the source of illicit money.

Central to the case were two helicopters, a Bell 430 and a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, registered under Gibson Air Charters, a company linked to Malanji. The state demonstrated that payments for these aircraft were inconsistent with Malanji’s declared earnings as a public officer. In addition, the court examined the purchase of houses in Lusaka’s Silverest Gardens and other upmarket areas, all financed through cash and dollar payments that could not be explained through lawful income.

The court noted that Malanji relied on misleading documentation to justify the acquisitions, including fictitious mining and construction contracts purportedly linked to operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and China. Magistrate Wishimanga rejected these claims, stating that the evidence pointed to a deliberate attempt to launder funds and conceal corrupt proceeds.

In her ruling, Magistrate Wishimanga stated that Malanji failed to provide a credible or lawful explanation for the sources of the funds used. Instead, the court found a clear pattern of structuring transactions to hide their true nature. The ruling described his conduct as calculated and intentional, demonstrating a systematic siphoning of resources under the pretext of diplomatic and business engagements.

The judgment reinforced that the misuse of public office, combined with attempts to launder illicit gains through luxury assets, undermines public trust and weakens state institutions. The case was seen as an emblematic example of how corruption and abuse of power intersect at the highest levels of government.

The conviction of Malanji, a high-profile figure within the Patriotic Front (PF), is likely to have wide political repercussions. His trial and eventual conviction highlight the increasing willingness of Zambian courts to hold senior figures accountable, a development that aligns with the government’s stated anti-corruption agenda.

For the opposition, however, the case is likely to raise allegations of selective justice, with some PF supporters already framing the convictions as politically motivated. The presence of Makebi Zulu, a prominent PF figure, as Malanji’s defence counsel underscores how politically sensitive the trial has been.

At the same time, the case adds pressure on Zambia’s judiciary and prosecuting authorities to ensure consistency across corruption cases involving political figures, regardless of affiliation. The credibility of the justice system rests on whether the outcomes are perceived as impartial.

Proceedings have now moved into the mitigation stage, with sentencing scheduled for tomorrow. Malanji’s legal team is expected to argue for leniency, citing his previous service as a public official. However, given the scale of the convictions and the emphasis placed by the court on deliberate misconduct, legal analysts anticipate a substantial custodial sentence.

The conviction of a former cabinet minister on charges involving helicopters and luxury real estate sends a powerful signal about Zambia’s ongoing anti-corruption drive. It also serves as a reminder of how public resources, when misappropriated, can be laundered through high-value assets in attempts to conceal their origins.

As the nation awaits sentencing, the Malanji case remains a watershed moment in Zambia’s fight against corruption—one that will either reinforce or undermine public confidence in the country’s ability to bring powerful figures to justice.