CHIPATA town clerk Aaron Kamalondo has been sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment with hard labour while head of procurement Harriet Mwape has been sentenced to 12 months for abrogating public procurement guidelines in awarding and cancellation of a contract worth K3.5 million under Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mr Kamalondo was convicted by Economic and Financial Crimes Court for failure to follow applicable procedure and guidelines in the manner he cancelled the procurement process relating to the supply of a grader and roller compactor without following the procedure under the Public Procurement Act No 8 of 2020 and Public Procurement Regulations of 2022.
Ms Mwape was convicted on two counts of wilful failure to follow applicable procedure and guidelines in the manner she issued invitation for bids dated May 5, 2022.
This was without appropriate bidding documents and before receiving approved purchase requisitions for the grader and roller compactor as provided for in the Public Procurement Act No 8 of 2020 and Public Procurement Regulations 2022.
The duo had pleaded not guilty before senior Lusaka resident magistrate Treva Kasanda, who was sitting in Chipata.
-ZDM