Ministry of Education Director loses job for stealing K300,000

Acting Director of Science and Technology in the Ministry of Education has lost his job after being convicted of stealing K300,000 which he used to repay a K70,000 loan.

The government official Patrick Mphadzula was on Tuesday handed three suspended sentences for abuse of public office, money laundering and theft.

According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the bureau received a complaint alleging that the convict Patrick Mphadzula had abused his office by using a Government Cheque to repay a personal loan.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau instituted investigations which established that Mphadzula had used a Government cheque amounting to K300,000.00 to repay a personal loan of K70,000 and asked the one he had repaid the loan to, to cash and give back to him the remaining K230,000.
On 2nd May, 2017, the Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested Mphadzula.

He was later taken to Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court where he was charged with abuse of office contrary to Section 25B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act; money laundering contrary to Section 35(1)(a) of the Money Laundering, Proceeds of Serious Crime and Terrorist Financing Act; and theft contrary to Section 278 of the Penal Code.

On 27th February, 2018, the Lilongwe Magistrates Court convicted him.

On Tuesday, the court sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment for abuse of public office, 18 months for money laundering and 6 months for theft.

The sentences have been suspended for 24 months, 36 months and 12 months respectively.

The court said it had taken into consideration the fact that the convict pleaded guilty, he is a first offender, the amount involved and that the convict has lost employment and terminal benefits after working in government for 23 years.

The court also ordered that the MK300, 000 involved be forfeited to the Government.