THE Livingstone Magistrate’s Court has convicted and remanded Zambezi FM Radio Disk Jockey (DJ) and journalist Danny Anakene for offering a K4,000 bribe to Livingstone town clerk Vivian Chikoti as an inducement for her to allocate him a piece of land.
This is in case in which Anakene,39, of house number DNB 111, Dambwa North in Livingstone, was facing one count of corrupt practices with a public officer.
Anakene on a date unknown but between November 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 in Livingstone, corruptly offered K 4,000 to Ms Chikoti, a public officer with Livingstone City Council (LCC) as town clerk as an inducement for her to allocate him a piece of land in Livingstone.
In his judgment delivered yesterday, Livingstone resident magistrate Chinkashi Chilingala said the prosecution had proved that Ms Chikoti is a public officer and there is no doubt that LCC is a public body.
“I’m reluctant to accept the excuse by the defence that the money was meant to pay for the plot that he had not applied for and none of his relatives had applied for one. It is not possible for a person who did not apply for a plot to attend interviews,” Mr Chilingala said.
He said Anakene in his evidence conceded that he never applied for the plot and could not under normal circumstances attend the interviews.
“I don’t believe the accused that the money was part payment for the interview fees and that the remaining amount would be deposited in Ms Chikoti’s personal account as appreciation,” Mr Chilingala said.
He said Anakene’s defence is a mere afterthought because there is no logic in him appreciating something that he never applied for.
“I am satisfied with the prosecution’s evidence. I, therefore, convict you of corrupt practices and convict you accordingly and mitigation and sentence will be on March 30 this year.
“In the meantime, you will be remanded in custody until that date,” Mr Chilingala said.
Daily Mail