ABUSIVE STEP MOTHER SENTENCED TO 7-YEARS IMPRISONMENT

A-29-YEAR-OLD woman, Longwe Ngosa a step mother of Apollo military camp in Lusaka west has been sentenced to seven years simple imprisonment for assaulting her 4-year-old step son.

This is in a matter in which Ngosa pleaded not guilty to one count of assault on a child contrary to the laws of Zambia.

According to the charge sheet, the now convict between April 1 and July 31 2023 assaulted a minor under the age of 16.

The abuse of the child was exposed after a video interview with his teacher which was widely spread on social media.

In the video, the teacher showed the boy's body covered with countless scares of whip marks which he said had been inflicted on him by his mother.

When the matter came up yesterday for judgement, Lusaka magistrate Mutinta Mwenya said the prosecution had managed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

Magistrate Mwenya said the video which was recorded by the victim’s teacher who was also a state witness was evidence enough to show the court that indeed, there was an assault case.

Magistrate Mwenya also established that it was difficult for anyone to watch the video without wondering why a mother would inflict such injuries on a child.

She said it was evident that the victim who was one of the witnesses knew the person who inflicted the injuries on him.

Earlier the State prosecutor, Joe Phiri applied for an opportunity to render a victim impact statement through the victim's relative pursuant to section 302 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

And in his statement, Maxwell Mambwe, grandfather to the victim said he was not happy with the condition in which he found the boy when he visited him at social welfare where he is being kept.

Mr Mambwe further said the scars on the boy's body will forever be a reminder of the incident.

In concluding the statement, the State emphasised that the impact of the injuries where too much on the boy's body and that the court should not consider giving the convict a minimum sentence.

In mitigation, the convict opted to remain silent.

"I sentence you to seven years simple imprisonment effective on the day of arrest," magistrate Mwenya ruled.