Namwala Member of Parliament Major Robbie Chizyuka has appealed to Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius Hakayobe to help a Mazabuka based convict with a 10 month old baby to get released from prison.
Major Chizyuka said Susan Watama was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment after being detained for three months and even after serving six months of her sentence, she was denied her right to get one third of her sentence remitted.
He said from the time she was detained, Watama had now been in prison for a total of nine months but not yet released for unknown reasons.
Major Chizyuka appealed to Mr. Hakayobe to intervene in the matter as prison was not a conducive place for a 10 month old baby to be raised in.
He said any intervention in the matter was not meant to circumvent the law but to protect every citizen’s human rights.
Major Chizyuka said this today when the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights and Gender led by Lubasenshi Member of Parliament, Lazarous Chota paid a courtesy call on Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius Hakayobe.[quote]
And Mr. Chota bemoaned the poor sanitation at Mazabuka Prison saying the inmates were serving their sentences in deplorable conditions and were at great risk of getting malaria.
He also expressed disappointment at the disconnected water supply and late delivery of food rations for inmates at the prison.
Mr. Chota who is acting Chairperson of the Committee said water was a prerequisite for sanitation and called on government to look into the matter and ensure sanity was restored at Mazabuka prison.
Meanwhile, Chawama Member of Parliament Violet Sampa revealed that there had been no salt for inmates at Mazabuka Prison for the past two weeks.
However, Mr. Hakayobe said he had liaised with Southern Water and Sewerage Company Management in a bid to have water supply restored at the institution but cautioned authorities at the prison to also be committed in servicing their utility bills.
Mr. Hakayobe also pledged to look into all concerns raised by the committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights and Gender in the province.
The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights and Gender is in Southern Province to inspect prisons and get first hand information on challenges the province is facing in relation to legal matters, governance, gender and human rights.
ZANIS
Good reasoning this woman needs to be released for the sake of the young life under her care coz jail conditions are just too hostil for the infant whose immunity is still not well developed
I have said this before and I say it again. Our justice system is discriminatory and discriminates against the poor.
I believe judges before they pass judgment have to look at past cases. How can the same justice system free Xavier Chungu because he was detained for 9 months and fail to free this woman on the same grounds? Something terribly wrong here
Kafupi is free yet he is a criminal what is this? Release her u fools…
In zambia if you don’t have money NINSHI IWE ULIMAFI. Ninshi iwe ndiwe MATUVI. Please you fellow Zambians just think of Chiluba and his son’s case, I can’t believe it and you can’t dig it. Yes of course our justice system is discriminatory and discriminates against the poor. For God’s sake can you release this poor woman. Release her you *****s
What has happened to the Zambian woman sentenced to death in China?
1/3 of every sentence is deducted. Surely the powers that be should obey the law which this poor woman disobeyed. Let her be freed for once.
And some poor chap in Luapula was hailed for 2 years for stealing a goat.
Do we have Legal Aid in Zambia. Looks like the poor are not being well represented.
NGOs please get that child out of prison, have it fostered somewhere or in some orphanage until the mother leaves prison. It’s only 9 months isn’t it.
…too bad kwena,but was the magistrate blind not to see that the woman was expecting/had a baby during sentencing.Surely if it were a well to do person, she would not have been sent to jail.Shame!
Can some one bring this case to the attention of First Lady Thandiwe. She will use her muscle to help that baby.
Recently a UK citizen imprisoned in Thailand or some country like that was found to be pregnant. This woman had been dealing in drugs and faced a death sentence. She is actually Nigerian but has a British ceizenship. There was an outcry in teh UK for something to be done. The media and citizens put pressure on the govt to act. The UK govt flexed their muscle. Result – the young lady has been transferred to the UK where the prison facilities and hospitals are better and she can have the baby near her family. What was all this about – the baby. Please Zed govt, respect the life of our babies. We dont need donor money to do that for us. Let us be seen to value life.
#8 cont. I also appeal to Lusaka Times to help put pressure on the Govt when it comes to issues like this. Learn feom the Bristish media. Themeadia is the fourth estate. it is very powerful. Kindly take up this case for the baby. I am sure the Govet, RB and Thandiwe can turn this kid’s fortunes overnight. The only thing the baby needs is a voice, someone to speak for it. Hope you are listening, LT.
The poor in Zambia do not have anyone in government to stand for them. The Rupiah government is only inerested in their fellow plunderers, the corrupt and the crooked like Chiluba, Dora, Dr Miti, etc…
Only the church in Zambia cares for the vulnerable and the poor and I’m sure they will follow up this sad case.
Iliko tricky. Does it mean wrong doers who are pregnant or with babies should not be sent to jail. May be let us build a jail that is suitable for such convicts.
What did she do?
Nipa Zambia, only the poor will be sent to prison, tufikala tu Kafupi tulesekafye at how stupid our laws are. If i had a way i would really do wonders to these people..Kafupi and gang.