The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has fined former Chisamba MMD member of parliament Moses Muteteka K10, 000 for abusing the authority of his office by giving a hammer mill he obtained from government to his sister Rosemary Mulongwe in 2010.
In another count, the court has sentenced Muteteka to 12 months imprisonment and two years suspended for stealing another hammer mill valued at K21,000 from Chibombo District council between January 1, 2011 and December 1, 2011.
But the court acquitted Muteteka on five counts alleging that he gave hammer mills to his relatives in Chibombo district.
Meanwhile, Muteteka was discharged in a charge theft for the procurement of 26 bicycles, two solar panels, a solar inverter, a solar regulator and a Solar battery between January 1, 2011 and August 31, 2011.
Muteteka was also acquitted of allegations that he directed Chisamba Constituency Development Committee to purchase six hammer mills from SARO Agro Industrial Limited, as the highest bidder.
Lusaka magistrate Faidess Hamaundu said the state failed to prove seven cases beyond reasonable doubt.
Earlier, in mitigation, Muteteka through his lawyer; Maureen Mwanawasa stated that the property had been recovered and sending him to jail would be detrimental to his health as he had suffered stroke in the past recent years.
In 2015, President Edgar Lungu pardoned Muteteka, who was serving a five year jail sentence at Chimbokaila prison, for theft of a motor vehicle.