The Kasama Magistrate Court has sentenced a 22-year-old man of Kabwibwi village in Chief Nkolemfumu’s chiefdom in Kasama district to one year imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting his 79-year-old grandmother, whom he accused of being a witch.
Richard Chileshe, pleaded guilty to the charge of assault, which is contrary to Section 248, Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
The case was before Kasama Magistrate Chapson Silwimba.
During trial proceedings, the court heard from the victim, Ms Theresa Mubanga, how her grandson physically attacked her and forcibly evicted her from her home.
“I was thrown out of my house and beaten. I felt pain in my ribs, had a headache, and my whole body was aching,” Ms Mubanga told the court. She added that after receiving a medical report form, she sought treatment at Kasama General Hospital, where she was given seven injections to manage her injuries.
The Public Prosecutor presented further evidence, including a warn and caution statement from the arresting officer, where Chileshe freely admitted to committing the offense.
In his mitigation, Chileshe asked the court for leniency, claiming he was not in a sound state of mind at the time he assaulted his grandmother.
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