Zambian minister jailed over fake academic certificates
A file picture taken on March 26, 2013 shows Zambia's ex-president Rupiah Banda (center) leaving the Lusaka magistrate court, after pleading not guilty to a charge of abuse of power linked to an oil contract signed while he was in office. The same court on Wednesday sentenced Zambia Sports deputy minister Stephen Masumba to one year imprisonment for fraudulently obtaining academic certificates. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- Zambia Sports deputy minister Stephen Masumba, 31, has been sentenced with hard labour by the Lusaka Magistrate’s court
- Magistrate Wilfred Muma said the sentence would serve as a warning to any person who is in possession of fake documents
LUSAKA
A Zambian court on Wednesday sentenced to one year imprisonment a minister for fraudulently obtaining academic certificates.
cc, 31, has been sentenced with hard labour by the Lusaka Magistrate’s court.
His sentence would take effect from November 18, when he was convicted. Mr Masumba has however, been granted $2,000 cash bail with two working sureties pending appeal to the High Court against the verdict of the Magistrate court.
Magistrate Wilfred Muma said the sentence would serve as a warning to any person who is in possession of fake documents.
Mr Masumba is the ruling party’s Member of Parliament in Mufumbwe Constituency, North West of the country.
Mr Masumba’s testimony” adding that the prosecution had established the case against him.
Last week, Mr Masumba claimed that the Anti-Corruption Commission officers who arrested him had their facts misplaced.
“They are saying I was employed at Lusaka Business Technical College between 2005 and 2008 which is not true.
I worked there from 2006 to 2011 last year when I joined politics. I have never been fired in my life,” Mr Masumba said.
He said he had contacted NIPA executive director Answell Saka to find out where the allegations were coming from and that he had expressed ignorance.
