Six Patriotic Front cadres have been sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months for illegal land allocation in Lusaka.
Lusaka Magistrate, Emmie Masoja Mbewe, in passing her sentence told the six convicts that she had considered all they had said in their mitigation but that there is need to deter other would-be offenders in society.
Magistrate Mbewe said such cases have been rampant in society but that some people have been doing it because of ignorance for the law and influence from other people.
She, however, warned the six that she had suspended the three months for twelve months in which they should not commit any offence failure to which they risk being sent to prison.
The six cadres, namely Shadrick Mumba, aged 27, Philip Mwanza, 21, Richard Phiri, 24, Ackim Mwanza, 26, Clement Kamwandi, 30, and Clive Mweemba, 27, all of Lusaka’s Kanyama Township, were found guilty of criminal trespass last week.
Particulars of the offence were that the six on October 16, 2012, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, unlawfully did enter the premises of Zama Mkwamadzi with intent to destroy his property.
Last week when the matter came up, magistrate Mbewe advised the six cadres who complained of the bad state of the prison cells to go back and campaign in the cells so that the cells can be improved since they claimed to be coming from the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Mbewe has sentenced Clement Kamwandi to three months imprisonment with hard labour for assault contrary to Section 248 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Kamwandi is alleged to have assaulted Mackmore Mbote, a nephew of Mr Mkwamadzi after he tried to stop Kamwandi and other persons unknown as they attempted to trespass on his uncle’s plot.
ZANIS
Good, the lawlessness is too much!
“Magistrate Mbewe said such cases have been rampant in society but that some people have been doing it because of ignorance for the law and influence from other people.”
You want to believe this when it is in the clear that they have taken the law in their hands due to perceived political advantage over the rest of the citizens.
And sets them free…..
ZID has been saddened by bias in our judiciary system. The current situation in judicially indicates that if you are part of the government then your case will either be dismissed, or simply get a simple suspension. The trend has to charge and judiciary should be independent.
Seems when you are PF, you are also immune to jail sentence..Injustice @ its best
present like past.
nonsense..they should have been jailed for 3 years..not fair!!
Satana is canning with his victims. The devil will entice you and promise mountains of benefits once you obey him. When Society and law catches you up he changes and says ‘boi, you are on your own’. A good example is there in Zambia.
That kinda sentencing will not deter future culprits! There is need for stiffer punishment regardless of the political party comes from. Sad to note that the law is applied differently depending on which political party one claims to belong to. We need one law for all the populous unlike the nonsense we are seeing in Zed!
This sends a signal.
PF CADRES DESERVE SOME LENIENCY. THE MAGISTRATE IS CORRECT.
What is this? Suspended sentence in a country with so much corruption? What message is the magistrate passing to all potential criminals? A three year sentence would have served the purpose.
That is the way of the Sata…nists!