The Lilongwe High Court Judge Justice Ivy Kamanga has on Monday 6th October 2014 failed to pass sentence to the first Cashgate convict Tressa Namathanga Senzani because the judgment was not ready till late hours of the day.
But Justice Kamanga has told the Defense and State lawyers in her chamber on Monday evening that she had throughout the day preparing the sentence but could not pass it on the same day because she finished at late hour.
The judge confirmed to both parties that the sentence is ready and will be passed this Tuesday 7th October 2014 at 10 O'clock morning.
This is a third time Justice Kamanga failed to sentence Senzani a former Principle Secretary for Ministry of Tourism who pleaded guilty of all two charges of Money laundering and theft as well as restituting the whole amount of money as a sign of remorse.
On 15th September the judge also shifted the sentence to 2nd October 2014 because she asked for further submissions from the State and Defense lawyers on the impact of cashgate and definition of public interest including authority cases, and it was also communicated that the judge had shifted the date to Monday 6th October.
And on Monday 6th October 2014 before adjourning the case to Tuesday Justice Kamanga had in the day changed sentencing hours up to two times (from 10:00 am to 14:00 hours. And at 14:00 hours the judgment was shifted to 16:00 hours). At 16:00 hours the court had to keep waiting for the judge over an hour until 17:27 when the final communication was made, that in the Chamber both parties have agreed that sentencing be delivered this Tuesday morning at 10 O'clock.
Tressa Namathanga Senzani was arrested in October 2013 when investigations into cashgate revealed that she instructed her Ministry to make payment of K63.5 Million to her own company ‘Visual Impact’ without supply of any service.
Her conduct attracts a maximum of 5 year jail sentence on theft and 10 year jail term for money laundering.
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