Former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji has been found guilty of corruption charges relating to the possession of two luxury helicopters and high-end properties deemed to be proceeds of crime.
Delivering judgment on September 3, 2025, Lusaka Magistrate Irene Wishimanga convicted Malanji on seven out of eight charges, in what has been described as one of Zambia’s most high-profile corruption cases in recent years.
The case, dubbed the “Helicopter Corruption Trial,” centered on two aircraft — a Bell 430 and a Bell 206 Jet Ranger — as well as residential properties in Lusaka’s Silverest Gardens. Evidence presented in court showed that the former minister’s acquisition of the assets far exceeded his legitimate earnings as a public official.
Investigations revealed that the helicopters were registered under Gibson Air Charters, a company linked to Malanji, but their purchase was inconsistent with his declared income. The state argued successfully that the assets were acquired using illicit funds.
Malanji, who served as Foreign Minister under former President Edgar Lungu, was first arrested in December 2021 on similar charges. In 2023, Zambian authorities recovered the two helicopters from South Africa, marking a breakthrough in the investigation.
With the conviction now secured, the court is expected to proceed to the sentencing and asset forfeiture phase in the coming weeks. Legal analysts say the ruling sends a strong signal in Zambia’s ongoing fight against corruption.
This case adds to a growing list of prosecutions targeting former government officials as part of President Hakainde Hichilema’s pledge to clamp down on graft and restore public confidence in state institutions.
