A Lusaka man has been sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment with hard labour for defrauding a job seeker by impersonating a Zambia Air Force recruitment officer.
Ephraim Banda, aged 29, pleaded guilty before Lusaka Magistrate Namakando to stealing K437 from Bernard Hatembo, a student of Nakambala Extension in Mazabuka, between March 1 and March 15, 2025.
The court heard that Hatembo responded to a fake recruitment advertisement on Facebook and sent money to Banda, who falsely claimed he would process his application.
Banda further instructed the victim to drop documents at a shop near Arakan Barracks.
Upon verifying the information with the Zambia Army, Hatembo discovered that no recruitment exercise was underway and that the alleged officer did not exist.
Magistrate Namakando rejected Banda’s plea for leniency, despite being a first offender, stating that impersonation of a government institution warranted a deterrent sentence. The court also ordered police to add impersonation charges.
By Josphat Hamakala
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