The Lusaka Magistrate Court has sentenced former Zambia Railways Director of Finance Regina Mwale to 18 months simple imprisonment for two counts of abuse of Authority of Office.
Delivering Judgment this morning, Magistrate Obbister Musukwa said a custodial sentence was appropriate to deter would be offenders.
Magistrate Musukwa said each count carries a sentence of 18 months but the sentences will run concurrently.
Mrs. Mwale was jointly charged for two counts of abuse of authority of office with former Zambia Railways Chief Executive Officer Clive Chirwa who was acquitted yesterday.
In mitigation, Defence counsel Mulilo Kabesha pleaded with the court to exercise maximum lenience as his client was a first offender who had served Zambia Railways for 25 years, a single mother with four children and was diabetic and hypertensive.
He pleaded with the court not to impose a custodial sentence because his client had already shown remorse after spending a night in prison.
Particulars of the offence are that Mrs. Mwale while working as Director of Finance at Zambia Railways authorised payment of rentals of K72000 per month without seeking authorization from the board of directors for an apartment at Fallsway Apartment where Professor Clive Chirwa was accommodated for four months.
Come Mr Judge, I expected a suspended sentence or community service here. This is just a woman who had people above her to approve things and they did approve and none of the money was used on her. These are not the type of people who should be locked up in Jail. These are the candidates for community service. We don’t need to congest the prison with people who should not be there. This woman can be rehabilitated if she has to without sending her to jail.
Very welcome judgement indeed. How can a company on a financial drip like Zambia Railways afford monthly rentals for just one of its employees at K72,000 per month?? This women ignored the board in her lust for quick cash in the form of kickbacks from Fallsway Apartment. Syvia Masebo is next!
Collateral damage, women are always mistreated in Zambia.
You have to sympathize with this woman. She found herself in the crossfire simply because of political heavyweights who wanted to loot the Eurobond
K72,000 per month? Does the house come with whor@s?
plus condoms
Quite harsh, suspended sentence could have sufficed. Besides, Chirwa was being fought by political chaps who wanted to dip their fingers in the Euro-bond cookie jar. It is now empty and sending this woman to prison will not help matters.
This is just to much. K72000 per month. Awe guys this house is very expensive. This is stealing indeed. Lusaka house costing more than a house in Perth’s City Beach (kumayadi yakubasungu ku perth) About 3 times more.
Awe guys this is way too crazy. Lock her up for negligence
Awe this is too harsh for a single mother of four and first offender. Bamweleko uyu namayo. Real criminal are loose in the streets of Lusaka.
I guess you cannot screw your way out of everything!
A little fish is caught in the net while the big one is allowed to pass through the dragnet.
Why not the Director who benefited the money.
Please have mercy on her. Mr. EL please aquit her
also.
She should just appeal. The high court will acquit her
GOOD SENTENCING. IN FACT I EXPECTED A MORE STIFFER SENTENCE THAN THIS. Prof CLIVE CHIRWA WAS JUST SET UP IN THIS AND HE EASILY FELL FOR THAT. MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS IN ZAMBIA GANGED UP AGAINST CHIRWA TO SET HIM UP. I AM PRETTY SURE CHIRWA HAS LEARNT A LESSON NOW. NEXT TIME BA CHIRWA FOLLOW ADVICE FROM FELLOW DIASPORAS. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE EMPLOYED TOO MANY ZAMBIAN TECHNOCRATS BUT A MIX OF OVERSEAS, MANY GRADUATES FROM UNZA AND CBU AND FEW SO CALLED ZAMBIAN ENGINEERS TO LEARN FROM PIONEERING ENGINEERS FROM OVERSEAS. YOUR ZR PLAN WAS GREAT.
Dora is busy opening legs innocent are being jailed
What is prof. chirwa saying, cant he share the ka sentence him 10 months the lady 8 months? Iam sure chirwa being an executive at 60yrs old whilst the lady is 25yrs old he must have coexd her into paying 72grand, it is just fair for chirwa to challenge the courts that the courts must sentence him, he can appeal to high court for him to be sentenced
“…the lady is 25yrs old he must have coexd her…”
Ukutolapofye icushi!
….if I was CEO of an institution staying in rented house and the landlord reminds me as a tenant that my rental payments are due infact in arrears….the first thing I will do is pick up the phone and call the director of finance and send shivers in her spine and give an ultimatum to have the landlord sorted out…..I do not believe that Chirwa did not do just that……well s law has it….hard evidence is required…in da absence of e-mails…the guy managed to get his freedom….and the poor lady in for it….she may just do 2 months time and will be out im sure of that…..rison is for da poor….not Directors fimofimo….
wages of insolence, boss accountant know what is budget and even late approval. at least pardon will flow soon as real thieves are out and very much free.
But the CEO had some power over this woman and has spoken about refusing to let her make payments, which appears to be a battle within ZRL. In his own words…
“We differed because they started pressurizing the Finance Director for allowances for merely seeing the Minister for five minutes. They had 25 board meeting in three months. That’s madness. I refused to have the Director of Finance release payments for those meetings because some of them were not even minuted,” he said.
Source: Lusaka Times
Someone owes jail to someone and will have an obligation to visit everyday. Chirwa you’re a jerk if you don’t visit the woman everyday.
Comment:it comes down to governance. A request and approval was needed
It is the same as Jacob zumas nkandla where he has pleaded ignorance of misdeeds at his nkandla homestead. Chirwa knew and benefited from the scam. Regina is the sacrificial lamb while chirwa gets away with it. This country has gone to the dogs!
Repeat: The law is an ass, a complete utter ass at that…
If only the slippery criminal Rajan Mahtani could serve half the time…then again prison is for the poor and not connected like this poor lady…this should be an example to those working in govt firm when shit hits the fan you are on your own!!
I would recommend pardoning this lady as someone else has suggested. She did not do this for personal gain. She is not a thief in this case. She erred in judgment. We do not know enough about what was really going on and what sort of pressure she could have been under, but one thing for sure is that she did not steal this money.
Chirwa lacked responsibility as a director. He knew quite well the financial standingsof the company. Why he choose to live on rented property if he has the company at heart??? Thats selfishness!!!!
K72000 per month? meanwhile the company is on knees, thats why pa zed kuwayawayafye.
THIS WOMAN’S PAYMENTS MUST HAVE BEEN APROVED BY SOMEONE SENIOR WHO IN THIS CASE MUST BE CHIRWA.SO WHY JAIL HER AND LET CHIRWA GO SCOTT FREE.IT DAZENT MAKE SENSE AT ALL.
Fake judgement by leting a big fish escape.
Comment:chirwa benefits and the other person is blamed? This doesn’t make sense at all.if this chirwa’s human then he should be feeling very guilty.he shouldn’t even be celebrating his acquittal. This is very sad indeed for the lady
Honestly how can this woman approve such an outrageous amount for a flat? She must have been to UTH or other govt hospitals and seen how the poor sick are sleeping on the floor dying like flies. Where is her conscience? These are the greedy women like Mumbi Phiri and Zambia open Dora Siliya. She must have reaped something from that deal. Serves her right!
money talks, justice walks!!!