Lusaka | October 28, 2025 – The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has today delivered judgment in one of Zambia’s most complex financial crime cases, convicting six men, three Zambians and two Ugandans, including Patrick Kafula (38), for orchestrating a sophisticated cyber-theft that siphoned over K14 million from Atlas Mara Bank Limited.
The convicted are Patrick Kafula, Vincent Ssempejji, Sylvester Apuli, Rashid Kyagulanyi, Austin Daka, and Makosana Ndolo. Evidence presented during the trial showed that between December 2019 and July 2020, the accused deliberately and unlawfully accessed Atlas Mara Bank’s core systems, transferring millions of kwacha into 79 internal beneficiary accounts through a carefully coordinated operation.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Chief State Advocate Gracillia Chipulu-Mulenga, Deputy Chief State Advocate in the Taxation and Financial Crimes Department (TFCD) of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and supported by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC)’s Anti-Money Laundering Unit (AMLIU), detailed how the syndicate used sophisticated devices and software to bypass the bank’s security protocols and conceal the illicit proceeds.
Chief Resident Magistrate Stanford Ngobola convicted the six, emphasising that the operation represented a serious assault on the integrity of Zambia’s financial system. As the Subordinate Court does not have jurisdiction to impose sentences for these offences, the case has been committed to the High Court for sentencing, marking the next phase in ensuring accountability for this major financial crime.
The ruling emphasises Zambia’s determination to protect its banking sector and hold accountable those who engage in cross-border cyber-enabled financial crimes.