Kaputa Magistrates Court has sentenced five individuals to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour for unlawful hunting and two additional wildlife-related offences.
Before Magistrate Emmanuel Mukoma were Kapembwa Evans (43), Joe Mazimba (28), Felix Chola (32), Kennedy Mofu (30), and Kalumba Kopa (25), all of Nsenga Village in Chief Kaputa’s Chiefdom in Kaputa District.
This is in a matter that came up sentencing in which the five were facing three defferent counts.
In count one, the five were accused of unlawful entry in the national park contrary to Section 18 subsection (1) as read with Section 136 (a) and (b) of the Zambia Wildlife Act number 14 of 2015.
In count two, the three were facing one count of unlawful entry with weapons in the national park contrary to Section 20, subsection 1 (a) and (b), as read with Section 136, subsection (a) and (b), of the Wildlife Act number 14 of 2015 of the laws of Zambia.
In the third count, the five were facing the offence of unlawful hunting in a national park contrary to Section 19 subsection 1 (a) (b) and (c) as read with Section 128 subsection (a) and (b) of the Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015 of the laws of Zambia.
Facts of the matter were that on February 1, 2026, around 02:00 hours, wildlife police officers, while on operation, apprehended the five at a place called Tushitu.
The five accused were later brought to Kaputa police station for safe custody.
The five, jointly, and whilst acting together, also unlawfully hunted 3 kg of assorted fresh fish at the same place they were apprehended from.
The five were also found with the wrong fishing gear, namely a mosquito net, a knife, five paddling sticks and a wooden boat.
Magistrate Mukoma found all five guilty and convicted them on all three charges.
In count one, the court ordered each one of them to pay a fine of K120,000 and, in default, serve 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.
In the second count, the court fined them K120,000 each, in default 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.
And in the third count, Magistrate Mukoma handed each one a custodial three-year imprisonment with hard labour effective the date of arrest.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
Illegal hunting of fish with sticks and mosquito net weapons? Illegal entry to national park doesn’t carry 1 year hard labour. Poor people are crushed meanwhile bazungu are praised for coming from Amelika to shoot our buffalo and leopards and lions. It’s a strange world
Uku kwetu