By Chembe Mbale
The Kitwe High Court has sentenced six criminals to life in prison for attacking a well-known businessman and his family on New Year’s Eve in Kitwe.
The convicts held the family hostage, demanded gold and money, and hacked some family members with machetes while armed with an AK-47 rifle.
Kitwe High Court Judge in Charge Justice Charles Chanda, sitting at Kamfinsa Correctional Facility called the event “horrifying.”
Mr Chanda said the state proved the case beyond any reasonable doubt and found the men guilty.
The six convicts named James Mulenga (known as “Ba Big Moze”), Simon Mbewe, Derrick Chansa, Webster Mushili, Charles Chiyemba, and Obert Mboshi, aged between 32 and 51 faced five counts of aggravated robbery.
In Count one, the convicts between December 31, 2021, and January 1, 2022, the group, acting together and armed with an AK-47, machetes, and other weapons, stole a smartphone belonging to Gilbert Goma.
In Count Two, the convicts stole a Ford vehicle (registration KAM 33), two mobile phones, an airgun, a laptop bag, an FNB bank card, and K73,540 cash from Mr. Irvin Chilufya.
The convicts beat Mr. Goma and other staff while demanding to know when Mr. Chilufya who had gone to ECL Mall with his family to watch New Year’s fireworks would return.
He said the evidence clearly showed violence was used, and the state had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
He found all six guilty on all five counts and sentenced each of them to life imprisonment for every count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
-ZNBC