33 YEAR OLD KAPIRI MPOSHI TEACHER JAILED 12 MONTHS FOR THREATENING TO SHOOT FELLOW TEACHER
A 33-year-old Kapiri Mposhi class teacher has been sentenced to 12-months imprisonment for threatening to shoot to death another man, using his father’s gun, whom he accused of having an affair with his girlfriend.
ZANIS reports that before Kapiri Mposhi magistrate Arnold Kasongamulilo was Mwenya Yambala of Kawama compound who was charged with one count of threatening violence contrary to Section 90 (a) of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars before court were that on August 18, 2023 Yambala accused Kalunga Kunda, 26, a fellow teacher of having an affair with his girlfriend and picked a quarrel with him.
Later in the day, Yambala went to Kunda’s home in Hilltop residential area with a pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition which he pointed at Kunda and threatened to shoot and kill him for allegedly flirting with his girlfriend.
However, some members of the public in the neighborhood restrained Yambala before he left Kunda’s residence.
The court heard that Kunda later reported Yambala to the Zambia Police for threatening violence on him, saying his life was in danger which led to the arrest of Yambala who was subsequently charged with the subject offence.
At the end of the prosecution case, Yambala was placed on his defence.
And In his defence, Yambala refuted allegations that he threatened violence on Kunda using a pistol telling the court that he just used a word of mouth and that he had carried a firearm because he was going hunting the time he confronted Kunda.
But Yambala’s father, George Mwenya, 67, who was his witness in the matter acknowledged that he had noticed that his gun was missing from his bedroom for some time and he reported the matter to the police for the missing firearm.
Mwenya testified that he only learnt that his son is the one who took the gun following his arrest for threatening to shoot at Kunda.
He told the court that at no time did his son ask him for a gun to use for hunting.
In mitigation, Yambala begged the court to exercise leniency on him stating that he was the only one keeping his father and a brother who are living with disabilities adding that he was also looking after a child that he has with his girlfriend.
But in passing judgement, magistrate Kasongamulilo observed that the behaviour that Yambala exhibited was unacceptable and if the court does not mete out a custodial sentence on him, people’s lives would be at risk.
Magistrate Kasongamulilo stated that the offence of threatening violence, whether by word of mouth or using a gun attracts a custodial sentence of five years imprisonment with hard labour.
” I will send you to jail so that you can reflect on your behaviour. I’m sentencing you to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour,” Magistrate Kasongamulilo said.
ZANIS