By Chilufya Tayali
Two wrongs don’t make a right and being a lifer (one serving a life imprisonment) does not mean one loses his/her fundamental rights as a human being. It is also inhuman for anyone to take advantage of a person in prison.
I, for one, stand against these things, politics or no politics. I will spend my last to help anyone being taken advantage of regardless of the person involved and what they could have done in the past.
One of the things I do, away from politics, is visit Prisoners. For the past few months, I have been visiting Beatrice Hangwende, among others.
Beatrice is familiar to many people who could read and follow issues just before Levy Mwanawasa died, when she hired the killing of her husband’s suspected lover, Monica Chabwera Phiri.
When you meet Beatrice today, you would feel sad how her magnificent life has just changed from a successful businesswoman owning two successful businesses, K.T.M Diesel Centre and Jasmine Beauty Parlor.
Beatrice owned 6 properties in total, among which is a farm number L2338/M/C in New Kasama. The farm was worth several millions of Kwacha which included flats.
Unfortunately, Beatrice is at the verge of losing everything because her love of her life, Mr. Jonathan Mwala, has taken advantage of all that she worked for.
Beatrice is serving a life sentence for a crime that should not have been, had she met a more responsible man who would support her and supplement her hard-work, as a husband.
Beatrice used to work for Toyota Zambia before going to London for further studies. It was whilst there, that she met Jonathan who had just gone to London for a holiday, from Russia where he had done for school, as well.
Meeting Beatrice was like a “Jack-pot”, that Jonathan even abandoned his school in Russia to become a husband to Beatrice. Beatrice says that, she was in love and showered whatever Jonathan he wanted.
They later came back to Zambia where Beatrice continued as a businesswoman. Unfortunately, marital issues crimped in as Jonathan was allegedly unfaithful and irresponsible, living off the wife.
Beatrice could not bear the pain of seeing the man she had hoped to be a husband and a father to her 3 children, going about with other woman, which led her to pouncing on one of the suspected lover of Jonathan.
Beatrice regrets and tenders an apology to the family of Monica, the Govt and the general public for the crime she committed out of emotional out-burst.
In jail, she helps other women in counseling. A few other women in prison speak well of her, especially her generosity, in spite of having nothing herself.
Unfortunately, Jonathan, divorced her in absentia, as she was in jail and married another woman whom he is living with.
Without Beatrice, Jonathan has been selling some properties they co-owned as a couple including the farm mentioned above.
The farm was demarcated into 15 plots and sold for over K3 million which money Beatrice has been pursuing from Jonathan in court using Maureen Mwanawasa as her lawyer. Ms Mwanawasa has taken up the case as a way of supporting disadvantaged women.
However, Beatrice wants half of the plot, which was sold illegally to, Pinalo Chifwanakeni, a Professor at Lusaka University, back for her 3 children whom she speaks of so fondly.
She has never seen her children ever since she went to prison and desperately wishes to see them. When she went in prison the youngest child was only 2 years, while the others were in grade 4 and 6 respectively. She wishes that the husband would be gracious to allow the children visit her.
Jonathan seems to be enjoying some favors from his connections, to the effect that, he is supposed to be taken to court, but the police seem to be lingering around albeit having arrested Janathan and bonded him.
Apparently Jonathan even managed to have the Inspector of Police Mr. Kakoma Kanganja intervening in his case. Police officers had to write reports to the IG for putting Jonathan in custody. This is why, I have reservation for this Kanganja, it is not that I hate him, but his works, are far below par.
On the other hand, the Prison Service, under Percy Chato, are doing very well, because they have facilitated for Beatrice to pursue this case, because it is her right, yet the police seem to be frustrating the case.
The Home affairs was also brought in the picture, but when I spoke to him, he assured me that, he will not be involved, though I am still wondering why the case is not coming up in court.
How long do the investigation take because this case was reported to the police in February 2016. What is going on, is it the IG protecting Jonathan?
The other case is in the civil court for the properties which were sold with Beatrice’s consent but no money was given to her. At the moment Beatrice is in desperate need of money because she has a chronic illness which requires her to be on a diet and sleep on an orthopedic bed.
It is sad how people’s lives get messed up through marriages when marriage is supposed to be a blessing. Beatrice does not deserve to be going through all this, if only Jonathan Mwala had a heart that cares for others. It seems Jonathan just used Beatrice and brought her problems which are now eating her alive in jail.
On my part, I will keep on pursuing the rights of Beatrice and other vulnerable. This is what I ever wanted to do in my life. Politics is just one way I think I can help better, because people like Kanganja would not block justice when they are supposed enforce the law.
I hope her children can read this article and find it in their hearts to go and visit their mum. The woman loves her children and I feel for her.
MAY THE LORD HAVE MERCY