Zambian head teacher faces jail time for gambling away social funds
Ernest Chilonga had checked into a lodge and started using the government funds to place bets on an online sports betting platform, losing all of it within a few days.
Zambia.- A primary school head teacher in Mongu District, Zambia, has been convicted of gambling away government funds meant for vulnerable communities. The case has sparked concern over increasing links between public service corruption and the growing accessibility of online gambling platforms.
Ernest Chilonga, aged 42, served as both the head teacher at Mulwa Primary School and the designated pay-point manager for the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) scheme under the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. According to court proceedings, Chilonga withdrew K68,320 (€2,574) from the programme’s account on September 26, 2024, with the mandate to distribute the funds to approved beneficiaries.
However, investigations revealed that only K4,320 (€162) was disbursed appropriately. The remaining K64,000 (€2,412) was lost through online sports betting. Chilonga had checked into a lodge and started using the government funds to place bets on an online sports betting platform, losing all of it within a few days.
On October 7, he called the beneficiaries to the school and initially claimed he had left the money at home. However, shortly after, he changed his story, telling them that his house had been burgled and the funds had been stolen.
Chilonga was charged with theft by a public servant and found guilty. He is currently remanded in custody, with sentencing scheduled for August 8, 2025.
The incident has stirred public discourse on financial accountability in social support programmes and the societal impact of gambling. While no other motive has been confirmed in court beyond the misuse of funds, the case is not isolated.
In a similar scenario earlier this year, a deputy head teacher in Choma District reportedly lost K28,000 (€1,055), also intended for SCT beneficiaries, through the online betting game Aviator. The ministry took disciplinary action and recovered the money.
These repeated cases of gambling-linked fraud have prompted calls for tighter regulation of betting platforms, especially those accessible via mobile money services widely used in rural Zambia.
The Ministry of Community Development has not issued an official statement regarding additional safeguards or potential policy changes in response to the growing risk of digital gambling among public officers.
