A GUIDANCE teacher at Matero Boys Secondary School, Elifasi Banda, confessed to registering only two General Certificate of Education (GCE) candidates with the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) despite collecting fees from 629 candidates, a witness has told the court.
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Banda is accused of stealing K717,600 in examination fees.
Testifying in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, former Matero Boys head teacher Samuel Chipo stated that Banda admitted to the limited registration of candidates in a phone call, instructing Chipo to “brace himself” and prepare to explain the situation to authorities.
This confession reportedly came as Banda informed Chipo he was en route to Ghana.
The court heard that Banda, despite collecting money for various fees from candidates, only processed payments for two, as confirmed by the ECZ system.
Banda pleaded not guilty to one count of theft by public servant.
The alleged theft occurred between January 1, 2025, and March 7, 2025.
When I joined Matero Boys in June 2019, I found Elifasi Banda already working there as a teacher. He came to Matero Boys on transfer from Muchinga province in 2017 on March 14.”
“We worked together with him as a class teacher, and in 2021, as a head teacher there was need to recommend someone to work in the guidance office, and since Banda had shown to have been a very dedicated member of staff, I appointed him to work in the office as a guidance teacher,” he said.
Chipo testified that Banda, who was responsible for exam registrations as a center coordinator, began missing from his office as the exam registration deadline approached.
The irregularities came to light when an officer from the Lusaka District Education Board inquired why Matero Boys Secondary School had only registered two GCE candidates.
“Upon discovering that Banda had started missing in his office towards the exams I called on a meeting where I needed full details of what was going on because the exams were near.”
“When I noticed that February 28, 2025 was the deadline for submission of the registered candidate and later a circular was released saying they have extended the date to March 7, as deadline, all this while, I was not seeing Banda,” he said.
Chipo further informed the court that after attempts to contact Banda, the accused responded via text message, denying the allegations, but later sent a message stating that he was heading to Ghana and that Chipo should handle everything.
The school reportedly had to borrow money from its account to register the remaining GCE candidates after the deadline had passed.
The matter was reported to Matero Police Station, leading to Banda’s arrest in Mbala.
By Lucy Phiri
Kalemba June 24, 2025
