Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years behind bars for culpable homicide after a seven-month trial in the North Gauteng High Court for the death of Reeva Steenkamp at his luxury Pretoria home in February 2013.Judge Thokozile Masipa handed down her sentence shortly after 10:30 on Tuesday morning.

“Count 1, culpable homicide, sentence imposed is maximum of five years.”

He was also sentenced to three years in jail, suspended for five years, for discharging a firearm in a Johannesburg restaurant. Both sentences will run concurrently.

Pistorius will be eligible for his sentence to be commuted to correctional supervision after 10 months.In terms of Section 276 of the Criminal Procedure Act, the accused may serve one-sixth of the sentence. For a five-year sentence, this would amount to 10 months.

“I have taken into account the seriousness of the offence, which led to the death of the deceased, the personal circumstances of the accused, and the interests of society,” Judge Masipa said during sentencing.

“I am of the view that a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message. A long sentence would also not be appropriate either as it would lack the element of mercy.”If sentences are too lenient, the administration of justice will fall into disrepute and people will take law into their own hands.”A suspended sentence would not be appropriate in my view,” Masipa said.

“The loss of life can’t be reversed. Hopefully judgment on sentence will provide some sort of closure for all concerned,” Judge Masipa said

MMD Kasenengwa member of Parliament (MP) Victoria Kalima has joined calls for former President Rupiah Banda to come back to active politics, adding that he is a better leader than party president Nevers Mumba.

Ms Kalima said she has nothing against Dr Mumba but that if members want Mr Banda to be their leader, they should be given what they want.

She said in an event that Mr Banda, popularly known as RB, contests the presidency at the MMD convention, the former president would go through.

“There is a leadership crisis at the moment and people want to see a president who can take the country forward and they feel that RB can do that,’’ Ms Kalima said.

She said Mr Banda implemented good policies as president and that he has the experience to lead the country.

Ms Kalima said many Zambians are calling on the former president to come back because they have tasted his leadership qualities.

“Other than President Sata, I think RB is a better leader. When you look around, there is no one with good leadership qualities,’’ she said.

Ms Kalima said many Zambians have confidence in RB and that they feel that he must come back into active politics.

She said Mr Banda is popular countrywide compared to other leaders who are just popular in certain parts of the country.

MINISTER of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili has advised those with presidential ambitions in PF to note that presidents are born and not made.

Mr Kambwili said presidential aspirants will end up with the shock of their lives if they do not succeed.

He said during Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)’s Sunday Interview programme that if a person was born to be president, they will become one no matter the circumstances.

“Just look at Mwanawasa, he had retired from politics and was doing his own business but because he was born president, he became one. The same applies to the former president,” Mr Kambwili said.

The minister said he will not waste time having presidential ambitions because if he was born president, he will become one and that he is currently concentrating on his ministerial job.

“When people understand this, they will never preoccupy themselves with presidential ambitions,” Mr Kambwili said.

Wusakile Township residents this morning took to the streets to riot over erratic water supply by Nkana Water and Sewerage Company.

And police in Kitwe have arrested eight in connection with the riotous behaviours.

Kitwe District Police Commanding Lizzy Machina said the eight where picked up the process as they rioted over the erratic water supply in the area.

Ms Machina bemoaned the use of young boys in the riotous saying it was very dangerous.

She urged parents to desist from taking with them their children when there are riots.

‘I am urging these parents please these children must be kept away from such things, because if we clash those children will be vulnerable’ Ms Machina said.

‘We have managed to contain the situation now because when we came it was worse than it is now, we found the road blocked’ Ms Machina said.

Meanwhile the residents have complained over the continued erratic water supply.

‘It’s very unfair why we should be the only ones without water, we always have to go with containers in far areas to fetch water, and it’s too much. Why should we have water coming at 02:00hrs when we are sleeping? Sharon Bwalya Questioned’.

‘we always forced to engage in these acts because we don’t get the answers when we approach them formally, we have been engaging Nkana water but they are not doing anything that’s why people are rioting now’ She added.

Efforts to get a comment from Nkana Water and Sewerage Company proved futile as they were still addressing the residents.

Itezhi Tezhi magistrate court has found a 16-year-old girl of Chibolya compound in Itezhi Tezhi district in central province guilty and convicted her of naming three elderly persons as wizards.\

The 16-year-old female juvenile stood charged with three counts of naming persons as wizards, an offence contrary to Cap 90 of the laws of Zambia.

In count one particulars of the offence alleges that the named juvenile on 2nd May 2014 in Itezhi Tezhi at Itezhi district willfully named Namasiku Paulosi as a wizard who bewitched late Catherine Kazembe of Chibolya compound in Itezhi Tezhi.

In count two, particulars of the offence allege that on 2nd May 2014, the accused juvenile willfully named George Namangolwa as a wizard who bewitched Anna Banda of Chibolya compound in Itezhi Tezhi.

In count three the particulars of the offence allege that the named female juvenile after naming Namangolwa moved to another house and again willfully named Shadreck Kazembe as a dangerous and chief wizard who was to be feared by the community.

This occurred between 14:00 – 15:00 hours in Chibolya compound in Itezhi Tezhi district in central province.

The accused juvenile denied all the three charges.

However, after the trial the state prosecution led by Mwanza Chikankeni called five witnesses and after considering the evidence of the accused juvenile which was given on oath, Itezhi Tezhi magistrate Munalula Mubita found the girl guilty and convicted her of the subject offence.

Mr. Munalula said that all the three complainants testified that the juvenile offender’s action caused untold embarrassment as they were laughed at and mocked by so many people who were listening from the girl.

The magistrate has since adjourned the case to next week for social welfare report and mitigation as per procedure for handling cases of juvenile offenders.

Meanwhile a 15-year-old grade eight (8) pupil at Uphill Day Secondary School in Itezhi Tezhi district in central province has appeared in court for allegedly indecently assaulting a girl.

The named juvenile who was arrested on 24th September 2014 is charged with one count of indecent assault on a female contrary to section 137 of the penal code, chapter 87 as read together with Act Number 15 of 2005 of the laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that the named pupil on 20th September at Itezhi Tezhi in Itezhi Tezhi district of the republic of Zambia did indecently assault named 13-year-old girl of Lilanda compound.

When asked by the court as to whether he understood the charge, the accused juvenile said he understood the charge very well and denied it.

The court has since adjourned the case to 4th November for commencement of trial.

UNITED States President Barack Obama has sent a message of congratulations to President Michael Sata on Zambia’s 50th independence celebrations which fall on October 24th.

President Obama said the American people joined Zambians in celebrating the historic milestone.

“As you celebrate the 50th anniversary of Zambia’s independence on October 24, please allow me to offer warmest congratulations from the American people to you and the people of Zambia on this historic milestone,” President Obama said.

“The United States joins you in celebrating your Golden Jubilee as our countries have enjoyed a strong partnership throughout your country’s history.”

Mr Obama said he looked forward seeing Zambia’s democracy and prosperity to continue to grow.

“As we reflect on fifty years of independence, we look forward to seeing democracy and prosperity continue to grow in Zambia and cooperating bilaterally on many important issues,” Mr Obama said in a statement released by the US Embassy in Lusaka.

President Obama’s message is founded on 50 years of mutual US-Zambian respect and exchange of ideas, culture, and values.

“One of our favourite photographs that we have in our Embassy is of US civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr together with Zambian first president Dr Kenneth Kaunda, taken in 1960,” the statement reads further.

It was only four years after the momentous meeting that former US president Lyndon B Johnson penned his congratulatory message to Dr Kaunda on the independence of Zambia.

“Former President Johnson wrote in his 1964 message, ‘Zambia’s independence will permit us to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation which have been built up between Zambians and Americans over many years.’ Now in 2014, we have the unique privilege to reiterate that very same message of 50 years ago,” Mr Obama said.

In recent years, former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush have visited health programmes in Zambia, and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton led an African Growth and Opportunities Act conference in Lusaka.

In this Jubilee year, Zambia has been visited by US Second Lady Dr Jill Biden and celebrity US singer Wintley Phipps, who sang freedom songs during Golden Jubilee concerts in September 2014.

President and Ms Michelle Obama welcomed Vice-President Guy Scott and his wife Charlotte to the US for the African Leaders Summit in Washington in August.

New US Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz, who arrived in Lusaka on Sunday, is strongly committed to building on the solid foundation of 50 years of US-Zambia partnership and warm relations.

These include leading US efforts to partner with Zambians to combat HIV/AIDS and other health challenges, to expand bilateral trade and investment and to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact with Lusaka Water and Sanitation Programme to improve water, sanitation and drainage in Lusaka.

Mr Schultz also intends to engage with Zambians on democracy, good governance and youth leadership issues as well as find new paths for collaboration that will lead into the next 50 years of the two countries’ partnership.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has nominated her personal envoy for Africa, Guenter Nooke, to represent Germany at Zambia’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations this Friday.

Mr Nooke, who is expected to arrive in the country today, will during his stay in Zambia also hold bilateral discussions on German-Zambia relations with officials from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and Livestock and Mines, Energy and Water Development.

This is contained in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday by head of development cooperation at the German Embassy, Frank Hofman.

Paramount chief Mpezeni said the Patriotic Front (PF) was honouring its promises it made to the Zambian people during campaigns before the 2011 general elections.

He said the University College of Applied Arts in Katete district will raise education levels in the region and reduce congestion at the three other public varsities.

He was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Chipata.

The traditional leader however expressed worry that no funds have been allocated towards the project in the 2015 national budget which was presented by Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda to parliament early this month.

“It is good news that we shall have our own provincial university here in Katete district and I am happy that land has been found. But l am surprised that no funds have been allocated in the 2015 national budget for the construction of the university,” chief Mpezeni said.

Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education John Phiri said government would construct a university in each of the 10 provinces of Zambia.

These will add to the three existing public universities namely University of Zambia in Lusaka, Copperbelt University in the Copperbelt province and Mulungushi University in Central province.