Teacher gets conditional discharge on forgery charge

RABECCA BANDA writes THE Lusaka Magistrates court has ordered a conditional discharge for a teacher who forged a pay slip from ministry of Education in an attempt to get a loan. Before magistrate Felix Kaoma was Isaac Ngalande accused of forging a pay slip from the ministry of Education and attempting to obtain money by false pretenses. Facts were that Isaac Ngalande on 20 August 2019 visited Bayport financial services to get a loan amounting to K24,867. He presented his pay slip from the Ministry of Education and it was taken for verification. After the verification was conducted, it was discovered that the pay slip was forged. Bayport reported Ngalande to the police and he was arrested. Magistrate: Did you forge your pay slip? Ngalande: Yes. Magistrate: Why did you do that? Ngalande: I wanted to get a loan of about K24,000 to service me and my mother’s medical bills. Magistrate: what subjects do you teach? Ngalande: Civic education and religious education? Magistrate: Does your profession allow you to do what you did? Ngalande: No, I was desperate and regret my actions. Ngalande pleaded for leniency saying that he is first offender. He said his life has been unstable since he was arrested and he has suffered in the cells. Magistrate Kaoma told Ngalande that he is not supposed to involve himself in criminal’s acts. Magistrate Kaoma said if Ngalande commits any offence in two years, he will be brought before him and jailed. The Sun