The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has convicted and sentenced a Zambia Police officer to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour for corrupt practices involving K5,000.

According to a statement issued by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public relations manager Timothy Moono, Thursday, Akayombokwa Siyomunji, 36, of Lusaka West, was arrested by the ACC in May, 2015, and charged with two counts of corrupt practices contrary to section 19(1) as read with section 41 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.

“In the first count, it was alleged that on unknown dates, but between August, 2013, and December 2013, Siyomunji, being a public officer namely a police officer under the Zambia Police Service, did corruptly solicit for K5,000 cash from Mhlupheki Ndlovu and actually received K1,000 through ZOONA money transfer, as an inducement for himself to discontinue investigations into allegations of fraud and theft against the said Mhlupheki Ndlovu, a matter or transaction that concerns the Zambia Police Force, a public body,” Moono stated.

“In the second count, it was alleged that on unknown dates, but between October 18, 2013, and December 31, 2013, Siyomunji, being a public officer namely a police officer under the Zambia Police Service, did corruptly solicit K5,000 cash from Makhosana Ndolo and actually received K400 through ZOONA money transfer as an inducement for himself to discontinue investigations into allegations of fraud and theft against the said Makhosana Ndolo, a matter or transaction that concerns the Zambia Police Force, a public body.”

And Moono stated that on the case to answer stage, Magistrate Humphrey Chitalu found Siyomunji with a case to answer on count one and put him on his defence and acquitted him on count two.

“In his judgment delivered yesterday, September 26, 2018, Magistrate Hon. Chitalu convicted Siyomunji on count one and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour effective from September 26, 2018,” stated Moono.