AMOS CHANDA, WIFE GET 7 MONTHS SIMPLE IMPRISONMENT

AMOS Chanda was yesterday subjected to and suffered the utmost humiliation at the hands of the State when he was handcuffed immediately after being sentenced to seven months simple imprisonment totally bereft of any authority to be shackled.

Mr Chanda, wife and sister-inlaw yesterday sentenced to seven months simple imprisonment and fined K135 each for allegedly using insulting language and obstructing Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officers.

In this matter, Chanda, 50, of house No. 67, Elm Road in Woodlands, Lusaka was arrested together with his wife, Mable Nakaundi Chanda, 48, and sister-in-law Ruth Nakaundi, 37, but denied obstructing and insulting the officers.

Chanda is charged with one count of using insulting language contrary to Section 179 of Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia, and one count of obstruction contrary to Section 63 (c) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 while his wife and his sister in-law are charged with one count of using insulting language and destruction.

When the matter came up yesterday at the Lusaka Magistrate Court for judgement, Magistrate Dominic Makalicha ruled that the state had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and that the words used by the now convicts were insults and provocative.

Mr Makalicha found Chanda guilty in count one and fined him K135, he also found Mable and Nakaundi guilty in count two and fined them K135 each in default to one month simple imprisonment.

And in count three, the court sentenced all the accused persons to seven months simple imprisonment effective March 13, 2023.

Magistrate Makalicha said it was unfortunate for the convicts to use insulting language on officers who were performing their duties on behalf of a government institution.

“There is evidence on record that accused number 3 did not allow officers to search a room which was dirty. In the presence of accused one, who is the owner of the house informed officers that owner of the room was not there and can’t access it. Denying access to the officers is like denying the President’s order and moreover the officers were doing their job,” he said.

Mr Makalicha also ruled that Chanda was a senior person who is supposed to know the rules and how officers operate, but decided to block, destruct and insult them.

He said the insults where provocative but the officers never uttered back.