THE Economic and Financial Crimes Court has sentenced former Kabushi PF MP Bowman Lusambo to four years imprisonment with hard labour on corruption charges.
This was despite his lawyer’s plea for the court to spare Lusambo’s political career by not giving him a custodial sentence.
Lusaka Magistrate Faides Hamaundu has also fined Lusambo K27,000 for tax evasion.
However, Magistrate Hamaundu acquitted Lusambo’s wife, Nancy, of all charges related to possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime. She also acquitted Lusambo on one count of conspiracy to defraud.
When the matter came up for judgement before Magistrate Hamaundu, Friday, Lusambo was found guilty on one count of corrupt acquisition of public property, three counts of tax evasion and four counts of being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Magistrate Hamaundu, however, said the State had not proven beyond reasonable doubt the charge of conspiracy to defraud against Lusambo, as well as the four counts of possession of property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime against Nancy.
After the court acquitted Nancy, Lusambo smiled at his wife as she left the accused person’s dock.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Charles Changano said Lusambo was remorseful, noting that the conviction had mentally tortured him.
“Your convict has served this nation as stated by the prosecution witnesses who were before you. He served the people of Zambia honourably. He is a breadwinner. Adam wronged God but God had mercy. According to today’s judgement, the convict wronged the people of Zambia, however, your honour, your seat is a seat of mercy. Have mercy on the offender who has served the nation. Though he looks big, he is a young man who needs new life. This court has visited prison and many other honourables. The remands are congested. The court can take judicial notice of the number of convicts who were pardoned by His Excellency on Independence Day. The purpose is to decongest the remands to which this court can move in the same way,” he said.
“There are no aggravating circumstances to this case. Your convict was in custody when he came to this court. He has seen the danger, and he is still there. Instructions are that he is remorseful. Society looked at him as an honourable, with this conviction, he is mentally tortured. With this conviction with regard to the property in issue, he is from something to nothing as the state are eager to take that property”.
Changano further urged the court to spare Lusambo’s political career by not giving him a custodial sentence.
“Should this honourable court today not give him a custodial sentence, the Constitution of Zambia warrants him going by his career to contest in 2026. His properties going to the state with this conviction but my prayer in remorse, the court can spare his political career today by not giving him a custodial sentence. The wife you have acquitted has an operation from India which needs care. The same wife has a four-year-old child who can only be taken care of by the parent. You are a parent; you are a mother,” he said.
Nkula Botha also pleaded for Lusambo to be given a fair and just punishment.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Hamaundu said she had considered that Lusambo was a first offender entitled to leniency.
She consequently sentenced him to four years imprisonment with hard labour for corruption-related charges, and a fine of K27,000 for tax evasion, in default nine months simple imprisonment.