22/08/2025
Anti- Corruption Commission Zambia
FORMER MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE EMPLOYEE CONVICTED FOR FORGING ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
The Lusaka Subordinate Court has convicted and sentenced Chefu Beauty Musonda a former Ministry of Agriculture Employee to 18 months’ simple imprisonment for Uttering a False Document and Obtaining Pecuniary Advantage by False Pretences.
When the matter came up yesterday for commencement of trial, the accused, however, opted to change her plea to guilty.
In presiding over the matter, Lusaka Magistrate Hon. Trevor Kasanda convicted and sentenced Chefu Beauty Musonda to 12 months’ simple imprisonment on the first count and 18 months’ simple imprisonment on the second count.
The sentences are to run concurrently from the date of judgment, 21st August, 2025.
In March last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission arrested Chefu Beauty Musonda on one (1) count of Uttering a False Document contrary to Section 352, and one (1) count of Obtaining Pecuniary Advantage by False Pretences contrary to Section 309 (a) of the Penal Code, CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Investigations in the first count revealed that, between 1st January, 2011 and 31st December, 2011 in Lusaka, Chefu Beauty Musonda knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false document, namely a Certificate in Secretarial and Office Management, to the Ministry of Agriculture, purporting that it had been genuinely issued by the Evelyn Hone College Management Board when in fact not.
Investigations in the second count revealed that, between 1st October, 2011 and 31st March, 2024 in Lusaka, Chefu Beauty Musonda dishonestly obtained K547,918.11 for herself while employed at the Ministry of Agriculture, on the pretext that she possessed a Certificate in Secretarial and Office Management from the Evelyn Hone College Management Board when in fact not.
The Commission wishes to strongly warn members of the public that the forgery and uttering of academic and professional qualifications is a serious criminal offence
