THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has convicted and sentenced former defence minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba to five years imprisonment with hard labour for conflict of interest and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime. Magistrate Stanford Ngobola has also convicted and fined Mwamba K50,000, in default nine months imprisonment, for money laundering. However, Mwamba’s sister, Ruth, has pleaded with President Hakainde Hichilema to have him released from prison. She says Mwamba helped President Hichilema while he was in the opposition, especially in Northern Province. In this matter, Mwamba was facing eight counts of conflict of interest, one count of money laundering and 15 counts of being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime. It was alleged...