A Community Market for Conservantion (COMACO) security guard yesterday told Serenje a magistrates’ court how he abandoned his work and fled for his life when a riotous mob of pupils from Serenje High School approached his working place last Saturday night.
This was in a case in which seven Serenje high school pupils are facing trial for riotous behavior before magistrate Brenda Chiganda.
Over the weekend, Serenje High School pupils rioted in protest against the striking teachers and caused damage to buildings and motor vehicles in Serenje. Seven of them were apprehended and subsequently arrested for the offence.
Jacob Chipembele Mpashi told the court that while at work, he heard noise from a group of people who also threw stones at buildings and motor vehicles and broke window panes, a wind screen and side view mirrors of the school’s projects truck.
Upon seeing that, Mpashi, who was a witness in the matter, said he decided to abandon his work and flee for his life behind the project building, saying he could not recognize the group that was rioting at that time.
Another witness, Constable Alfeyo Banda, explained to the court how he managed to catch one of the rioting boys and got another from an assembly of mourners at a funeral where the boys went to hide when police scared them by firing gun shots in the air.
Constable Banda, who was on duty that night, explained how another police officer rushed into the office and announced that pupils from Serenje High School were rioting.
Banda said he picked up a gun but before the officers could come out of their office,the boys had already arrived at the Boma offices and shattered some window panes.
He said he fired in the air and the pupils scampered and headed towards their school but he managed to apprehend one of them and took him to the police station.
Constable Banda also identified the two pupils among the seven, the one he took to the police station and the one he picked from the funeral place, saying the other five were caught by the members of the public.
Trial continues tomorrow. The seven were granted bail after social welfare officer, Winnie Namonje, applied for it saying the pupils were juveniles who should be in school.
Magistrate Chiganda granted the pupils bail of K200,000 each and two working sureties. They are facing seven charges; in the first count the seven pupils, while acting with others unlawfully, allegedly damaged window panes valued at K339,000 belonging to PEP shop on Saturday night while in the second count the pupils allegedly broke window panes at government office valued at K1,536,000.
The Pupils in the third count are alleged to have broken a street light valued at K800,000 belonging to Serenje District Council and in the fourth count they are alleged to have damaged a motor vehicle wind screen valued at K500,000 for Chibuye Kapika.
In count five, the pupils are alleged to have damaged window panes at Bata Zambia Shoe company where 11 half pairs of footware valued at K1,766,000 also went missing while in the sixth count they are accused of damaging window panes and one glass sheet valued at K961,000 for Chipundu Investment.
In the seventh count the pupils are alleged to have damaged a motor vehicle right mirror, front wind screen, two window panes and a glass sheet valued at K10,700,000 for Comaco project.
ZANIS
Riotous behaviour shud not be condone but let the pupils be punished by the school authorities not ifyama courts…U r owez heads high to probe useless matters wen big thieves are even back in the offices…Leave the children alone…
On the 7th count all those things listed count upto K10.7million? Mulebepako bwino bakapoli..
Its unfortunate that poor pupils resorted to uncivilised methods to air their grevinces. I am certain was caused by striking teachers. The children should be treated as first offenders and discharged accordingly. This is another ugly face of bad society where those in posions of authority are preoccupied with enriching themselves at the expenses of providing quality and unquestionable leadership to the majority poor. Imagine if all students countrywide resorted to stoning property be it private or public what would be left of this country, a shell. Let authorities in Serenje be level headed when dealing with the case of riotious pupils. They need to be told in clear terms that you dont achieve good results when you resort to violence. Better engage in constructive negotiations. MADNESS CHE
Awe balekeni abaice! #1 & 2 Zoe you have got a point,let the school authorities deal with that matter.I aint saying what the pupils did was right but please find another way of teaching them the difference between right and wrong…
What a joke, are these new methods to deter minors from misbehaving?
Have a blessed day you all.
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Prevention is better than cure.
Uncalled for behaviour by those pupils.
Balekeni abaiche. Mwefikulufyonse ala. Namufilwa ukwikata bakabwansekete mu GOVT.
Ba #3 double impact mwisho, awe mwalasa fyaumfwika!
The pupils just need to be canned with a horse pipe in front of everyone. Taking them to court is a sheer waste of time. Anyway even if they are found guilt, they can appeal to judge Musonda and have their conviction over turned.
Im so disappointed at the behavior of these boys. I was a student there (MPOMPOMPO). And this is not the news we should be reading about SEBOTEC.
ha ba SEBO but Zoona this is not the way… Uncle P you were at SEBO, serenje i love that place its my home town. kuba Lala kwesu.
these boys awe katwishi….