LCC to prosecute 23 for illegal liquor trade
By KALOBWE BWALYA THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) will soon prosecute 23 businesspersons for engaging in illegal liquor trade.
LCC Public Relations Manager, George Sichimba, said apart from operating without liquor licenses, the 23 business premises were also found conducting their businesses under unsanitary conditions such as lack of toilets.
Mr Sichimba said the business premises were found contravening the Public Health Act Cap 295, Food and Drugs Act Cap 303, the Local Government (Solid Waste Management), Regulations, 2011 and the Liquor Licensing Act no. 20 of 2011 in various parts of the city.
Mr Sichimba explained that the combined team of Public Health Inspectors, Council and Zambia Police has continued conducting operations to check on trade compliance in the city.
He said the affected business premises have since been issued with closure notices pending prosecution.
"All business houses in the city are expected to comply with all the laws and regulations relating to local trade or risk being prosecuted," said Mr Sichimba.
And Mr Sichimba said in 2017 LCC managed to secure 33 convictions for various municipal offenses and during the year under review, 12 people were convicted for failing to subscribe to the solid waste management system of LCC contrary section 12 of the Statutory Instrument no. 100 of the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia.
He said 10 people were convicted for selling liquor beyond permissible hours contrary to Regulation 4 (3) of the Statutory Instrument no. 64 of 2012 as read with section 29 (1) and (3) of the Liquor licensing Act no. 20 of 2011, while five people were convicted for obstruction of authorised officers from discharging their duties contrary to section 114(a) of the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the laws of Zambia.
Mr Sichimba also said two people were convicted for allowing liquor to be consumed on the licensed premises where the consumption of liquor is prohibited contrary to section 45(b) of the Liquor Licensing Act no. 20 of 2011 of the Laws of Zambia and four were convicted for trading in liquor without a license contrary to section 27(a) of the Liquor Licensing Act no. 20 of the Laws of Zambia.
"The convicted offenders were fined amounts ranging from K1, 500.00 to K10, 000.00 in default one month simple imprisonment and during the year under review, one person was acquitted for the offence of obstructing authorised officers from discharging their duties while two cases of selling liquor beyond permissible hours were discontinued because of lack of evidence," he said.
Mr Sichimba appealed to residents and foreigners wishing to conduct business in the city to do so within the confines of the laws relating to trade to avoid inconveniences.