A court in Mzimba has sentenced Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Regional Governor for the North Christopher Mzomera Ngwira to four years in prison for abusing local development funds amounting to K250,000.
Ngwira misused the K250,000 when he was Member of Parliament for Mzimba North between 2009- 2010.
The money was part of funds meant for construction of a teacher’s house at Lukwelukwe in the constituency.
Delivering the sentence on Friday morning, Mzimba Senior Resident Magistrate Mathews Msiska expressed hope that the four-year sentence handed to Ngwira will deter other public officers from abusing money from public coffers.
DPP officials who were at the court on Friday included Vice President of the South Kondwani Nankhumwa, Treasurer General Jappie Mhango and Director of Logistics Vuwa Kaunda.
Ngwira was prosecuted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and was found guilty last month.
He was charged with two counts of misuse of public office contrary to section 25 B (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.
According to the bureau, Ngwira presented invoices from YOGI and Mzimba Hardware saying they had supplied building materials for Lukwelukwe school project which was funded by Local Development Fund (LDF) under M’mbelwa District Council.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted investigations into the matter which established that Ngwira used influence to award a contract to Mr. Paul Louis Mtonga and advised the Project Management Committee (PMC) members to sign blank withdrawal slips and told them not to indicate the amount to be withdrawn.
