COURT JAILS POLICE SPOKESPERSON RAE HAMOONGA COUNTERFEIT
THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has jailed fake police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga to two years for swindling two job seekers out of their K258 on pretence that he would help them get employed in the Zambia police service.
This is in a matter were Melos Moonga was charged with two counts of obtaining money by false pretences and identity related crimes.
Particulars in the first and second counts are that Moonga between January 31 and February 28, 2023 with intent to defraud obtained K155 from Moses Simweene and a K103 from Naomi Himbole on the pretext that they would be employed in the Zambia police service.
In the third count Moonga on the same date impersonated the police spokesperson by using his pictures and the Zambia police emblem on his Facebook page to dupe people seeking employment in the police service during the police recruitment period.
In his mitigation before magistrate Fine Mayambu the 26 -year old imposter and businessman asked the Court to be lenient in meting out punishment on reasons that he is a family man and a student.
However in handing down his sentence magistrate Mayambu censured the convict for not having considered his family and school prior to engaging in fraudulent activities.
“I have also taken note that you committed serious offences. The first two counts can be a punishment not on exceeding three years and the last count not exceeding 10 years. You stole money and promised people jobs which you knew very well that they were false. You also used an image of an innocent person and got his picture, and Zambia Police logo and put it on a Facebook page,”magistrate Mayambu said.
“Your conduct did not only damage Mr Hamoonga’s image but the entire Zambia Police service. As the spokesperson of the whole police he carried the face of the institution.”
The convict was jailed nine months in count one and two and 24 months in the third count to run concurrently.
“I hope you desist from doing such things,” said magistrate Mayambu.
Kalemba