A FORMER Zambia Breweries accountant has been sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour for 90 counts of fraud and theft involving over K2.4 million.

In this case, Geoffrey Chanda, 34, was charged with 21 counts for fraudulent accounting and 69 counts of theft.

Particulars of the offence are that on unknown dates but between September 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013 in Lusaka, Chanda, being Trainee Credit Manager at Zambian Breweries Plc, with intent to defraud, falsified client accounts in the Zambian Breweries client account system known as SYSPRO purporting to show that a certain Atheneon Engineering Limited transferred various amounts totaling K1,063,687.02 to Kanongolo General Dealers and Santa-Flo General Dealers when in fact not.

Chanda was also charged with 69 Counts of theft by servant contrary to Section 272 as read with Section 278 of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars are that on unknown dates but between August 1, 2012 and November 30, 2013 in Lusaka, Chanda, being Trainee Credit Manager at Zambia Breweries Plc, stole 1,435,800.00 from Zambian Breweries Plc, which came into his possession on account of Zambian Breweries Plc.

When the matter came up for judgment Magistrate Greenwell Malumani said the Anti-Corruption Commission prosecution proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

In mitigation the convict asked the court for leniency as he was a first offender.

He said he is a breadwinner for his family and had blood pressure.

However, Mr Malumani said “those are not mitigating factors, in fact saying that he has BP is a mere claim but if he has BP as he claims, a clinic at the correctional facility will give him the help he deserves and therefore deserved a custodial sentence to deter would-be offenders”.

Mr Malumani said Chanda’s character deters investors because when they hear such cases they think Zambians are thieves. He then sentenced Chanda to five years imprisonment with hard labour effective March 29, 2019.