Keypoints:
- Joseph Malanji jailed for four years
- Ex-treasury chief Yamba gets three years
- Rare graft conviction in Zambia
A ZAMBIAN court has sentenced former foreign minister Joseph Malanji to four years in prison with hard labour after finding him guilty of corruption, marking a rare breakthrough for prosecutors in the country’s long-running struggle against graft.
Court delivers tough verdict
Malanji, who served under ex-president Edgar Lungu between 2018 and 2021, was arrested in late 2021 and accused of using embezzled state funds to acquire high-value assets, including two Bell 420 helicopters.
Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga delivered the ruling on Thursday, noting that while the defendants were first-time offenders, their offences were serious enough to warrant custodial terms.
‘I have heard the spirited mitigation by counsel and taken note that the convicts are first offenders and are entitled to leniency,’ she said. Despite this, she ordered that Malanji, 60, serve four years with hard labour.
Co-accused sentenced alongside Malanji
Malanji’s co-accused, former treasury secretary Fredson Yamba, received a three-year sentence. Yamba was found guilty of facilitating the transfer of more than $8 million in public funds without justification.
The ruling did not immediately clarify whether Malanji or Yamba plan to appeal their convictions.
First senior convictions under Hichilema
The pair are the first high-ranking officials from Lungu’s government to be convicted on graft charges since President Hakainde Hichilema took office in 2021. Their trial was among the first major cases to test his anti-corruption pledge.
Hichilema has repeatedly vowed to stamp out graft, saying it undermines Zambia’s economy and investor confidence. But critics argue progress has been slow, with few convictions of powerful figures until now.
Anti-corruption drive under scrutiny
Civil society groups have welcomed the ruling as a step forward, though questions remain over whether it signals broader institutional change. Analysts warn that many Zambians are still waiting to see if Hichilema’s promises will translate into systematic reforms.
The sentencing of Malanji and Yamba may prove a watershed moment, testing the credibility of Zambia’s justice system and its ability to hold political elites to account.
