Lusaka City Council Woman Engineer Jailed Over Village Bank Money She Stole
A VILLAGE banking group administrator has been sentenced to one year imprisonment for falsely obtaining over K500,000, which she had borrowed from members of the informal financial co-operative.
Apart from serving the 12 months jail term, Naomi Kwenye, a 35-year-old valuation surveyor at Lusaka City Council, has been ordered to pay back the money to the owners.
When jailing the weeping convict on Friday, Lusaka resident magistrate Crispin Hampungani said Kwenye, of Chelstone, betrayed the trust of village group banking members.
The court heard that when the members demanded for the money, the accused claimed that she had invested it in another scheme with Josvic Investments, but that she was allegedly scammed.
The accused, who was charged with theft, is said to have borrowed money using another member’s details and failed to pay back.
This should happen more often. Most thieves in these village banking groups are allowed to get away.
Thieving must have dire consequences. It is the only way we can improve the dismal levels of integrity.