Angella Katengeza convicted in K105m case
The High Court in Lilongwe on Monday found guilty and convicted Angella Katengeza on the charge of money laundering.
Prior to being a lone suspect in the matter, Katengeza was answering the charge alongside another Cashgate convict Leonard Kalonga, who pleaded guilty to charges of theft and money laundering in August last year.
Judge Fiona Mwale delivered the judgement at the High Court. Mwale said Katengeza had all the reasons to suspect that what Kalonga was bringing to her was criminal in nature.
She said things like borrowing each other company certificates, and the speed at which government vouchers were being processed should have alerted her that something was wrong.
After finding Katengeza guilty and convicting her, Mwale revoked her bail and she has since been taken to prison.
Gilbert Khonyongwa, Katengeza’s lawyer has since said that he will discuss with his client the way forward.
“We just heard the judgement being delivered in court. I have not yet gone through the document. I need to peruse the document. I know the next stage is sentencing. We will have a clear picture of what to do next after the sentencing,” Khonyongwa said.
Reacting to the development, Ant i – Corruption Bureau (ACB) Deputy Director General said they expected the conviction.
“This is what we expected as the State. What she did was indeed money laundering. We are satisfied with the judgment,” Matemba said.
Meanwhile, the judge has given the defence two weeks to file mitigation factors. The State will have to respond within a week.
Kalonga was, however, removed from the case after he pleaded guilty to cashgate charges of theft and money laundering in August last year.
Katengeza, who maintained a plea of not guilty, was answering the charge of money laundering.
According to facts of the case, Kalonga cashed two cheques, one of K36,530,900 and the other of K69,452,568 through Katengeza’s Faith Construction Company FDH Bank account.
In February last year, both Kalonga and Katengeza were found with a case to answer.
Katengeza becomes the eleventh Cashgate convict. She however joins Caroline Savala, Mkhuzo James Bandura Chirwa and Kalonga on a list of those convicted but waiting for sentence.
People who were convicted and sentenced are Tresa Namathanga Senzani, Victor Sithole, Wyson Zinyemba Soko, Maxwell Namata, Luke Kasamba and Osward Lutepo, Esnart Ndovie
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