PRISCILLA CHIPULU
Ndola
CHIWALA Secondary School headteacher Obed Silavwe has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment for issuing three cheques worth over K50,000 on an insufficiently funded bank account.
The Ndola Magistrate’s Court has also ordered the 44-year-old educator to pay the complainant about K72,000 within 10 working days, failure to which he will serve an additional six months simple imprisonment.
Allegations are that on September 8, 2022, the accused, with intent to defraud, wilfully and dishonestly issued a K22,000 cheque to Stanley Siame from an insufficiently funded Indo Zambia Bank account.
It is further alleged that on May 9, 2022, Silavwe, with intent to defraud, dishonestly issued a K25,000 cheque to Mr Siame from an insufficiently funded account, in the name of Greens Million Community Initiative, at Indo Zambia Bank.
In the last count, allegations are that between May 9 and September 8, 2022, the accused, with intent to defraud, wilfully and dishonestly issued a K25,000 cheque to Mr Siame on an insufficiently funded account.
During hearing before magistrate Jennifer Gondwe, the court heard that during the material times, the complainant received a series of cheques, one worth K22,000 while the two were valued at K25,000.
The cheques were drawn in Mr Siame’s name under the Indo Zambia Bank Ndola branch and signed by Silavwe.
Mr Siame attempted to deposit the cheques at the Zambia Building Society Bank Mufulira branch, where it was discovered that all the three cheques were dishonoured due to insufficient funds.
The court also heard that the complainant had sent K40,000 to the convict, who was supposed to pay him back at 16 percent interest.
But Silavwe failed to make the payments, causing the amount to accumulate to K72,000, prompting the complainant to report the case to Ndola Central Police Station.
After being convicted of the charges, Silavwe pleaded for leniency because he is a family man and had learned valuable lessons after spending time in the correctional facility.
“I am asking for leniency from this honourable court,” he said.
Magistrate Gondwe sentenced Silavwe to eight months imprisonment with hard labour, effective from the date he was arrested…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
