January 18, 2011
The Lusaka Magistrates Court has sentenced to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour, three Patriotic Front cadres for assaulting their former party members. Magistrate Xonobit Zulu slapped the sentence on the trio on Monday. The three are Ashwell Kampengele, George Lemba and Francis Mumba. The convicts assaulted Sam Zulu and Mubanga on June 5th , 2009. Mr. Zulu and Mr. Chileshe were during the incident holding a press briefing at Lusaka’s Court Yard Hotel. The two who were at logger heads with their party were briefing journalists on the PF convention when they were attacked.Facts are that on June 5, 2009 the three while acting with others, assaulted and abducted Mr Zulu and Mr Chileshe when the two were holding a Press conference to press for a PF convention at Courtyard Hotel in Lusaka.Former PF Lusaka Province publicity secretary Thomson Maimisa said on June 5, 2009 he went to PF president Michael Sata’s office where he found PF security officials outside.He said the security officials told him Mr Sata allegedly wanted to see him and when he went to his office, Mr Sata asked him if he was aware of some PF members who were holding a Press conference at Courtyard Hotel, which he said he was not aware of.Mr Maimisa said Mr Sata allegedly asked him to go to Courtyard Hotel and collect a statement from people who were holding the Press conference and he was accompanied by the security officials.He said that at Courtyard Hotel, he was surprised to see that the security officials started punching and kicking Mr Zulu and Mr Chileshe before dragging them outside the hotel.He said Mr Zulu was bundled into a motor vehicle and taken to the PF secretariat where he was again beaten and asked if he was working with other people.He said after several PF officials interrogated Mr Zulu, former Lusaka Province PF Chairperson Paul Moonga asked him and security officials to take Mr Zulu to his house.Mr Maimisa said the following day on June 6, 2009, a PF district official called the seven cadres that had gone to Courtyard Hotel and told them that Chimwemwe MP Willie Nsanda would take care of them.He said the following day the seven went to Mr Sata’s house who allegedly told them they did not know how to beat because they had left Mr Zulu alive.He said that the PF leader then told them that since police officers were looking for them, he allegedly gave them K200, 000 each and told them they should go out of town and Mr Nsanda organised transport for them to go to Lundazi.
Edmond Lifwekelo 