Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people in eastern province has cautioned his subjects against engaging in dagga cultivation.

Chief Mpezeni said cultivation of dagga is a serious offence, which attracts imprisonment to culprits.

The traditional leader called for multisectoral approach to eradicate drug abuse and trafficking because the vices are a threat to national security and economic development.

Chief Mpezeni was speaking at the commemoration of the World Anti-Drugs Day held at Chipikula Basic School at Feni in the outskits of Chipata District in Luangeni constituency today.

He said drug abuse increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections among abusers because of high rate of indulgence in risk sexual behaviour arising from impaired judgment.

“Currently, the trend show that drug abuse is high among people aged between 15 to 49 years, which coincidentally is the same age range mostly affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in our country,” he added.

He said drug abuse has eroded morals among the youths, who no longer have respect for elderly people in society.

He has since assured the Drug Enforcement Commission, DEC, of his support in sensitisation campaigns on the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking.

DEC Assistant Commissioner, Adrressie Munene, said the commission is concerned over the increased number of women being used as conduits for drug trafficking.

She regretted that more women, including young girls, are venturing into drug peddling, as a source of income for their livelihood.

“According to statistics with my office about 163 female drug traffickers were arrested locally last year, so far this year 50 females have been arrested and some of them convicted and subjected to long Jail sentences,” Mr Munene said.

Mr Munene said the commission has intensified investigations to establish the causes an extent of drug trafficking in the country.

ZANIS

A Magistrate court in Serenje disrict has fined Seven Serenje High School pupils for riotous behaviour.

Magistrate, Brenda Chiganda, also extended the payment of fine to 285 other pupils, who were absent from school on the day of the riot, early this month.

The court ordered each of the pupils to pay K120, 000.00 by June 30, 2009.

The seven pupils, who appeared in court, were arrested during the riot which resulted in property worth over K18, 000, 000.00 destroyed.

In passing judgment, Magistrate Chiganda said Zambia is a peaceful nation, hence riotous behavior will not be condoned.

She said the offence committed by the pupils is serious because it is retrogressive to national development efforts.

In mitigation, the pupils pleaded for leniency saying they would not repeat indulging themselves in unruly behavior.

They said they were school pupils some of whom were going to write final examinations at the end of the year to determine their future.

And some parents of the pupils, who attended the judgment, described the judgment as fair and warned their children to desist from misconduct in school.

Serenje high school pupils, rioted to protest against the recent strike by teachers.

ZANIS

A 28-year-old man of Basanga in Chief Musungwa’s area has been jailed for five years for illegal possession of a Leopard skin.

Before Magistrate Munalula Mubita in the Namwala mobile court, was Given Moole of Shimwenda Village, charged with one count of unlawful possession of a Leopard skin.

Facts of the matter are that, on 15th June, 2009 while acting together with another accused, Davis Mudenda, the two were found in Shimwenda Village in possession of a Leopard skin by ZAWA police officers and when asked whether they had a certificate to own the skin in question, they failed to produce one and were subsequently arrested by Itezhi-tezhi police.

Given Moole pleaded guilty and was convicted, while Davis Mudenda pleaded not guilty and was let free.
In mitigation, Moole told the court that he was given the Leopard skin by Mudenda who wanted Moole to sell it for him and that he has a large family and dependants to look after.

Sentencing Moole, Magistrate Munalula said it was an offence for the accused to possess a Leopard skin without a certificate of ownership from ZAWA director General, but that because he did not waste the court’s time by quickly pleading guilty, he would be imprisoned for five years with hard labour.

Further, the ZAWA prosecutor applied for the forfeiture of the Leopard skin to the state, which Magistrate Munalula granted for safe keeping at Nangoma ZAWA offices.

Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man of Kayawe in Chief Kaingu’s area, identified as Chabwera Tembo, has been jailed for stealing his father’s JVC radio cassette player valued at K85,000.

Particulars of the offence are that on 2nd June, 2009, Chabwera Tembo’s father Steven Chifwayila while away from his home, Chabwera stole at the radio cassette player and that when he came back home, his father found the radio missing.

After making a spot check he found it in Chabwera Tembo’s house, who he later reported to Itezhi-tezhi police station where he was taken for custody.

When Tembo, who earlier pleaded guilty, was asked why he stole his father’s radio, he told the court that it was because his father delayed in giving him money to buy food for his wife.
Magistrate Munalula Mubita sentenced Tembo to a one year jail term with hard labour.

Appearing in the same court were Kelli Mulife, 32, and Moses Chenda, 25, both of Choongo fishing camp in Chief charged with stealing a fishing net valued at K800,000.

Facts of the case were that on 18th June, 2009, Alfred Katota the complainant, left his 750 metres long fishing net at the shore of Itezhi-tezhi dam and that on 20th June when he found his net missing, information reached him that some people were selling a fishing net in Chief Shimbizhi’s area.

Katota then rushed to the area where he found the two men about to sell the net. The duo were later apprehended and taken to Itezhi-tezhi police where they were charged.

They pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour.

And a 52-year-old subsistence farmer of Kabizhi village in Kaoma has been fined K1.5 million for unlawful entry into the Kafue national park and unlawful possession of a fire arm.

Appearing before Magistrate Munalula was Joseph Kabizhi, who on 15th June, 2009 was found in possession of a muzzle loader by ZAWA police officers in the Kafue national park. When asked to produce his park permit he failed to do so and was subsequently arrested.

Kabizhi pleaded guilty to all the two counts and asked the court to exercise maximum leniency as he has two wives and fifteen children to look after.
Magistrate Munalula fined him K900, 000 on count one and K600, 000 on count two failure to which, he will be sent to jail.

In the same court, a 24-year-old fisherman identified as Derrick Mukunda of Chibolya Compound in Itezhi-tezhi districtwho was jointly charged with another man identified as Sitali Sitali for being in possession of protected government trophy.

The two were jailed for being in possession of dried sable and warthog meat.

Facts of the matter are that, on 21 June this year, Derrick Mukunda and Sitali Sitali were found with 29 Kgs of dried sable meat and 18.3 Kgs of semi-dried warthog meat, an axe and a short gun in Njebwa Njebwa Mufuta Game Management Area.

Mukunda pleaded guilty to all the three counts and pleaded for the court to exercise maximum leniency.

Sentencing Mukunda, Magistrate Mubita said it is a serious offence to be found in possession of a protected government trophy.

and jailed the accused for two years with hard labour for count one and for the other three counts fined him K1, 2 million” he said.

The axe and shotgun have been forfeited to the state.

ZANIS

Striking health workers in Ndola have resolved not to go back for work until government meets their demands.

The striking workers made the resolution this afternoon at Kansenshi cemetery when they regrouped after being chased by riot police from their usual meeting place, Ndola Central Hospital, where they had met earlier in the day.

Civil Servants and Allied Workers of Zambia (CSASWUZ) Ndola District Chairperson Joy Beene who is also spokesperson for the combined striking health workers said the workers are ready to be fired as long as government gives them their dues upon being fired.

The irate workers who gathered at the grave yard vowed not to return to work until government meets their demands.

The workers have resolved that they will continue to meet at Kansenshi cemetery until government gives them their demands or fires them all and gives them their money so that they could go and work abroad.

“We shall continue to meet here (Kansenshi cemetery) until the government gives us our demands or fires us so that we can go and work in the United Kingdom,’ they shouted.

And in a related development, the striking health workers have demanded for the immediate removal of both the Minister of Health, Kapembwa Simbao and the Health Permanent Secretary, Velepi Mtonga from the health ministry, arguing that the duo have tremendously failed the Ministry.

The workers demanded that Dr. Brian Chituwo be taken back to the Ministry because he understands their plight better.

The nurses are demanding a salary increment of K1.5 million across the board, uniform, night and risk allowances.

ZANIS

The Department of Community Development in Mungwi has embarked on an ambitious programme aimed at economically empowering the underprivileged.

District Community Development Officer Martin Mwansa disclosed that twenty piglets would be distributed to vulnerable but viable households in Mungwi district through the “Alternative Livelihood” (ALI) component under the Food Security Pack programme (FSPP).

Mr. Mwansa said this in an interview with the National Agriculture Information Services (NAIS) in Mungwi yesterday.

He said twenty weaners which will soon attain puberty are today expected to be distributed to selected households of Ngoli.
He said once the pigs multiply, the successive recipients will pass on one piglet to other beneficiaries as one way to improve their livelihood and increase income at household levels.

Mr. Mwansa said the alternative livelihood programme being implemented in collaboration with the department of agriculture will roll out to other parts of Mungwi.

ZANIS

Five people have sustained serious injuries after falling off a moving Fuso Fighter truck in Mpulungu.
The accident happened around 12:00hrs yesterday when the side of the truck, which was carrying over 50 mourners, opened, and threw the mourners mostly women on the tarmac.

Both police and health officials in the district confirmed the accident and described the conditions of the five victims, who were rushed to Mbala General Hospital as critical.
Police said the driver of the Fuso Fighter truck registration No. ABP 5982 who was identified as Joseph Simukonda has since been detained and will appear in court soon.

One victim, Maggie Nakazwe said the accident happened at Mupata village whilst the mourners were on their way back from the grave to bury a member of the Catholic Church who had died.
She told ZANIS in an interview at the district hospital that most of the victims were members of the Catholic Church in the area.

Nakazwe narrated that as the truck reached ZAOGA church before entering the main road, the driver suddenly accelerated, forcing the packed truck to surge forward.
She said the resulting momentum forced the side of the truck to give in thereby exerting pressure on the people who were at the back of the truck.Nakazwe who herself sustained a bruised knee said most of the injured were women.

This is the second serious accident to occur within the course of the week in Mpulungu.
On Tuesday, a truck belonging to Raubex contractors which was carrying workers who are tarring the Kasama /Mpulungu road careered off the road and overturned at Kafukula village near Mankonga Basic School.
This was after the driver failed to negotiate a sharp corner.
Several workers were injured in the accident and have since been admitted to the hospital.
ZANIS