Former Kitwe mayor jailed

By NATION REPORTER FORMER Kitwe Mayor Kelvin Sinyangwe has been jailed for nine months with hard labour for getting K116, 000 from two residents on pretext that he would allocate them plots.

Magistrate Kampinda Chipamu convinced the former mayor on two counts of obtaining money by false pretences and jailed him for three and six months respectively. He was Mayor up to 2016.

However, both sentences were suspended for 12 months.

Sinyangwe, 59, committed the first offence between January, 2012 and February, 22, 2016 when he obtained K11,000 cash from Agatha Malambo under the pretext that he had a plot for sale, when in fact not. In count two, between January and February 23, 2016, Sinyangwe obtain K105,000 cash from Henry Lungu pretending that he had a plot for sale. The former mayor who was then Kafue ward councillor in Kamfinsa constituency had denied the two charges.

The magistrate said he had found indisputable facts that the plots were not availed and that at the time Sinyangwe was slapped with the offences, he had not given the duo the plots nor had he refunded them the money.

Sinyangwe, in mitigation, said he was a first offender and a family man, who was looking after his extended family and pleaded for mercy. Mr Chipamu however sentenced Sinyangwe to three months with hard labour and suspended the sentence for 12months on condition that he did not committed a similar offence.

In the second offence, he jailed him for six months with hard labour but suspended the sentence for 12months.