A Solwezi high court has sentenced a 38 year old man to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling his step daughter aged less than 16 years,contrary to section 138 (1) Cap. 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Before Kitwe based Judge in-charge Mrs. Justice Royda Kaoma was Paul Samangolwa of Sikambotwe village in Mufumbwe district in North-western Province who was committed to the high court by Mufumbwe subordinate court.

Particulars of the offence are that Simangolwa on 25th February 2009 had carnal knowledge of his step daughter under the age of 16 years.
Simangolwa lured the minor to his bedroom where he defiled her when his wife was away in the hospital.

In passing judgment, Justice Kaoma said defilement case carries a statutory sentence of minimum 15 years imprisonment.
She said the accused was the child’s guardian and took advantage of the child when his wife was in the hospital.

Mrs. Justice Kaoma stated that defilement warrants the court to pass a sentence more than the minimum sentence of 15 years as to deter would be offenders.

She said the court would not deal leniently with offenders even if they are first offenders hence his 20 years imprisonment with hard labour.

In mitigation, Samangolwa who was represented by a defense counsel from the legal aid Board said he was a first offender and that he was a married man with a wife.

ZANIS

Government has finally handed over the 100 hearses to all the local authorities in the country.

Acting Local Government and Housing Minister, Bradford Machila handed over the 100 hearses to the local authorities at a ceremony in Lusaka today.

Mr. Machila said the councils would be charging a minimal fee of not more than K300, 000 for the usage of the hearses which would go towards maintenance of the vehicles.

“There will be a cost in administering of these vehicles as such it is prudent to attach a minimal fee to the usage of these hearses. I therefore direct that the councils not charge more than K300, 000 per service” he said.

Mr. Machila also said the hearses will remain the property of the state and urged the councils to take good care of them.
He warned that any misuse of the hearses would result in government repossessing them and giving to deserving councils.

Mr. Machila said government had insured all the 100 hearses with the Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) at a total cost of K744, 600 million.

And speaking on behalf of the other councils, Kitwe Town Clerk Ali Simwinga said the hearses would now help people in the country bury their loved ones in a dignified manner.

He has however said the minimal fee the council would be charging for people to access the hearses would help to buy fuel and maintain the vehicles.

Mr. Simwinga said the fee should not be understood as a way to disadvantage the people but that it would help the vehicles be in good condition all the time.

“People should not view the minimal charge as something the council is doing to disadvantage them but this will help us the councils to service the vehicles, maintenance and also to buy fuel,” he said.

Lusaka, Livingstone, Kitwe and Ndola City Councils have been given four hearses each while, Municipal Councils have received two each and all District Councils have received one each.

ZANIS

Luanshya Member of Parliament Simon Kachimba and Opposition Patriotic Front Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili have reconciled following a meeting the duo had in the District Administrator’s office.

Mr. Kachimba told ZANIS that he had forgiven his Roan counterpart over the disparaging remarks the latter made about him that he was dull because he hailed from North-Western province.

Mr. Kachimba further appealed to the Lunda people who sued Kambwili in the luanshya magistrate court to withdraw the matter as a gesture of reconciliation.

He said the two Mps agreed to start a new chapter and work together in order to develop Luanshya town as opposed to antagonizing each other.

Mr. Kambwili also said it was true the two had reconciled and pledged to work for the development of the people of Luanshya.

He said the two Members of Parliament were national leaders who were supposed to show exemplary integrity in society, adding that in-fighting would not take them anywhere.

Mr. Kambwili further said he hugged with Mr. Kachimba in the presence of the District Commissioner George Kapu and that the two committed themselves to keep consulting each other on how to develop the town of Launshya. developmental issues.

Mr. Kambwill was recently arrested and charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace when he raised a Patriotic Front symbol to a peaceful crowd of the Lunda Cultural Association who gathered at Civic Centre where they read a petition to President Rupiah Banda over Kambwili’s remarks against Kachimba and the people of North-western province.

Mr. Kambwili denied the charge and has been appearing in court over the same case.
ZANIS

Kitwe District Commissioner MacDonald Mtine says about 100,000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Kitwe are currently living in abject poverty.

Speaking at the Children in Need (CINDI) partners stakeholders meeting at Mpelembe Secondary School today, Mr. Mtine said there was urgent need for international and Local partners to assist the organization in addressing the plight of OVC’s in the city.

Mr. Mtine said government was faced with various economic and social problems hence making it impossible to provide for OVC’s in an effective manner.

He added that CINDI Kitwe has made its mark in supporting orphans and vulnerable children by encouraging active community participation in addressing the problem in a holistic manner.

He said there was need for various institutions to come up with ways through which resources could be realized to address problems that have beset the orphans in Kitwe.

And CINDI Executive Director George Chiyeke said his organization would not go on relaying on donor support to address the plight of OVC’s.
Mr. Chiyeke said there was need to design a mechanism to encourage local intervations.

ZANIS

Indo Zambia Bank has donated assorted items worth forty million Kwacha to first lady, Thandiwe Banda towards her charity works.

Indo Zambia Bank Managing Director, Satish Shukla says it is important for corporate organizations to support government’s efforts in mitigating the suffering of the vulnerable and less privileged in society.

Mr Shukla said the suffering of orphans and vulnerable children in rural areas is as a result of malnourishment adding that efforts such as Mrs Banda’s charity deserve support and encouragement.

He said, during the donation at State House, that Indo Zambia Bank is delighted to be associated with her charity works.

And receiving the donation, Mrs Banda said she is aware that the global economy is going through a difficult period and that the crunch has severely affected the performance of many companies.

She said despite the difficulties that the country is going through, Indo Zambia Bank has continued to render support to disadvantaged people.

The items donated include two hundred blankets, fifty mattresses and fifty bed sheets.
The first lady expressed gratitude to the bank for its continued support towards her charity work.

Mrs Banda appealed to corporate organizations to emulate Indo Zambia Bank in assisting the less privileged in the country.
ZANIS

MMD Deputy National Chairman Kabinga Pande says President Rupiah Banda is on the right track in implementing the legacy of the late President Levy Mwanawasa.

Mr. Pande challenged the opposition to exhibit maturity and show leadership in their utterances.
He says the UPND/PF pact leaders are the ones inciting the Zambian people to turn against the government of the day.

Mr. Pande was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kasempa yesterday during the memorial of the late President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Pande, who is also Kasempa Member of Parliament (MP) and Foreign Affairs Minister said the pact is headed for doom and that the ruling party is not threatened by the formation of the Pact.

He said while government is concentrating on developing the country through various projects, the PF/UPND pact leaders;
Mr.Michael Sata and Mr. Hakainde Hichilema were busy criticizing government and the leadership of President Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Pande said Mr. Banda has keenly followed the legacy of the late president such as the fight against corruption and the strengthening of the governance system.

He said President Banda had implemented several development projects in North Western Province.
He cited some of the projects as the rehabilitation of roads, opening up of Lumwana mine and attracting more investors to invest in the province.

ZANIS