The Chipata Subordinate Court has sentenced a 63 years old farmer of Chipata City for unlawful wounding of a minor contrary to Section 232(a)of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
This follows submission of the particulars of case by Public Prosecutor (PP) Yvonne Nachande before Resident Magistrate (RM) Destiny Kalusopa.
Particulars of the case presented are that between June 02,2022 and June 31,2022,Nkwizima Phiri used a razor blade to put traditional tattoos locally known as Ndembo on an 11 year old boy without the consent of his parents.
Evidence presented before the court is that Tilifonia Banda, the mother to the minor, noticed the tattoos on her son’s body after examining him when he became sick.
“My son became sick and started vomiting blackish things. I examined his body and noticed tattoos [ndembo] on both his hands that is in between his fingers and on both his elbows, “she said.
Banda said after a further inspection on her son’s body, she noticed that both his legs had also been tattooed.
She immediately informed her husband about her son’s condition and the tattoos she had found on his body.
Her son had not opened up to her when asked who had tattooed him but only disclosed after his father questioned him.
She said that her son mentioned Phiri as the one that had tattooed him while he was herding cattle with the friend.
The Court heard that Phiri tattooed the minor after convincing him and the friend that he had medicine to make them strong for them not lose any fights.
Banda said Phiri even requested that her son be giving him eggs as payment.
The Court further heard that Phiri warned the minors never to disclose what he had done to him to their parents should they do, they will die.
Banda said the matter was reported to Chipata Central Police and after thorough investigations, Phiri was arrested on July 08,2022.
The Court also received a medical report from Chipata Central Hospital after a medical examination was conducted on the minor.
During cross-examination, Phiri pleaded guilty with the charge after an initial plea of not guilty.
Passing judgement, the accused was sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour.
RM Kalusopa said what the accused[Phiri] did was very unknown and tantamount to killing the victim.
“This child will remain with the permanent scars on his body which is unfair because he was not with such tattoos on his body, “he said.
