Siavonga Police officer Jailed for corruption

The fight against institutional corruption within law enforcement agencies in Zambia reached another milestone as the Siavonga Subordinate Court handed down a custodial sentence to a rogue law enforcement officer. Francis Chisala, stationed at Chirundu Police Station in the Southern Province, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour following a meticulous prosecution by anti-corruption authorities. Presiding over the Siavonga Subordinate Court of the First Class, Lusaka High Court Judge Hon. Ireen Wishimanga found Chisala guilty on one count of corrupt practices by a public officer, contrary to the Anti-Corruption Act of the Laws of Zambia. According to court records, the offense dates back to late 2020, specifically between November 30 and December 3, when Chisala solicited and corruptly obtained Eight Hundred Kwacha (K800.00) in cash from a motorist, Jeremiah Donkan Phiri. The illicit transaction served as an inducement for the officer to withhold a legitimate traffic charge and grant the motorist unhindered passage along the bustling Chirundu-Lusaka highway. The matter, which directly concerned the operational integrity of the Zambia Police Service, prompted investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), culminating in Chisala's arrest in July 2024 and his subsequent conviction. Anti-Corruption Commission Head of Corporate Communications Joseph Mwenya welcomed the ruling, reiterating that public office remains a position of sacred trust that demands absolute integrity. Mwenya underscored that law enforcement personnel are expected to uphold the rule of law rather than exploit motorists for personal enrichment. The decisive ruling serves as a stern warning to rogue elements within the security wings who view traffic checkpoints and highway patrols as avenues for extortion rather than public safety administration. Highway corruption and petty bribery at police checkpoints have long remained a thorn in the side of Zambia's transport and l