Luanda - The former provincial governor of Lunda-Sul province Ernesto Fernando Kiteculo was sentenced Wednesday in Luanda by the Supreme Court to a single sentence of five years and one month in prison for embezzlement.
In addition to five years and one month in prison, the defendant was ordered to pay a fine of 250 million kwanzas to the state for property damage, as well as a court fee of 500,000 kwanzas.
The former governor was accused of having misappropriated 180 million kwanzas, in violation of the rules for the implementation of the State Budget (OGE) allocated to Lunda-Sul Provincial Government for the 2012 to 2017 period, when he was governor.
The amount was allegedly used to pay the company "Chimark", supposedly for the purchase of vehicles for the provincial government, during his term in office.
According to the indictment, the former governor signed and approved fictitious contracts between the Lunda-Sul provincial government and various companies, without the involvement of other local officials.
According to the judge, the acts in question were also carried out "without the knowledge" of the representatives of the companies included in those contracts.
The defendant fraudulently awarded several public works contracts included in the Public Investment Programme (PIP) to companies that were not on the list of those that took part in the public tender held by the board that preceded him at the head of the Lunda-Sul government.
Ernesto Kiteculo was tried for embezzlement in two cases brought by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
The defendant's defense has told the press that an appeal will be made against the sentence in the next few as it deems it unfair and inappropriate. FMA/VIC/AMP
