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The Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher at Mwembeshi Boarding Secondary School have been arrested for corrupt practices involving K28,720.
Petronella Kaputa, 52, and Humphrey Funduluka, 46, both residents of the Mwembeshi Boarding Secondary School Teachers Compound, have been charged with one count of Abuse of Authority of Office.
Timothy Moono, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Head of Corporate Communications, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Wednesday.
Moono stated that the duo had also been charged with two counts of Fraudulently Facilitating Payment from the Public Revenue for Goods not Supplied.
This is contrary to Section 34 (2) (a) (ii) as read with Section 41 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 of the laws of Zambia.
“Investigations have established that Kaputa and Funduluka connived with suppliers to siphon money from the school account by purporting that the suppliers had delivered the said goods when in fact they had not,” Moono stated.
After facilitating payments to the suppliers, Kaputa and Funduluka allegedly collected the money for personal gratification.
Moono detailed that in count one, Kaputa and Funduluka, between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, in Lusaka district, fraudulently facilitated a payment of K18,720 to Hamambo Agro Enterprises from the public revenue, namely the Mwembeshi Boarding Secondary School account, for beef that was not supplied.
“In count two, details are that Kaputa and Funduluka during the same period fraudulently facilitated a payment of K10,000 to Stationet Publishers from the Mwembeshi Boarding Secondary School account for chickens that were not supplied,” he said.
Additionally, Moono said in count three, Kaputa and Funduluka abused the authority of their offices contrary to Section 21(1)(b) by using their positions to obtain an advantage or benefit for themselves through facilitating the said payments involving a public body.
“The duo have since been released on bond and will appear in court soon,” Moono said.
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