THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has convicted and sentenced a 38-year-old clergyman and teacher at Matero Boys Secondary School to eight years imprisonment with hard labour for theft of K717,600, being GCE fees. In this matter, Alifas Banda, who serves as a reverend at the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ), was facing one count of theft by public servant. It was alleged that Banda, on dates unknown but between January 1, 2025, and March 7, 2025, in Lusaka, being a person employed in the public service as a teacher, stole K717,600, the property of government, that came into his possession by virtue of his employment. Banda, who had denied the charge of theft, told the Court that he handed over K739,920,...