Lusaka | October 17, 2025 – In a major blow, the Lusaka subordinate Court has denied former Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba bail pending appeal and stripped Joseph Malanji of his multimillion-kwacha assets. Chief Resident Magistrate Irene Wishimanga delivered the decisive verdict in the case of The People vs. Yamba and Malanji, ordering the property forfeited to the State.
The ruling reinforces the strength of the convictions secured by the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and confirms the principle that the successful dissipation of public funds will be met with the full force of the law.
Following the duo’s convictions and sentencing by the Lusaka Magistrate Court last month, Fredson Yamba filed an application for bail pending the outcome of his appeal.
In a decisive ruling, Chief Resident Magistrate Wishimanga dismissed the application. The court found that the applicant failed to demonstrate any prospects of success in his main appeal. The ruling highlighted that the grounds of appeal advanced failed to meet the high threshold required for post-conviction bail. Consequently, Mr. Yamba will remain in custody as his appeal proceeds through the judicial process.
In a separate and consequential order, the Court has granted the application, made by the Prosecution, for the forfeiture of assets identified as proceeds of crime. The specific assets now forfeited to the State include:
• Two aircraft implicated in the matters of the case.
• Three properties in Silverrest, Lusaka.
This forfeiture order, made pursuant to the relevant provisions of the law, signifies a critical recovery of assets for the people of Zambia. It demonstrates the NPA’s committed resolve to not only seek custodial sentences for corruption but also to strip convicts of the tangible benefits derived from their criminal activities.
The National Prosecution Authority views this ruling as a strong affirmation of the judicial process and a demonstration of the meticulous preparation of the prosecution team. The denial of bail reflects the substantive nature of the evidence presented and the soundness of the original convictions.
The asset forfeiture marks a crucial achievement in the ongoing fight against grand corruption. It serves as a clear and definite warning that the NPA will employ every available legal tool to ensure that crime does not pay, and that plundered national resources are returned to their rightful owners – the Zambian people.
The NPA remains firmly committed to its constitutional mandate to prosecute crime without fear or favour and recover plundered public resources for the benefit of the Zambian people.