By GIDEON NYENDWA
THE Patriotic Front is very disappointed with the judgement in the Jackson Kungo murder case which was reduced to manslaughter, its acting president Given Lubinda has said.
Mr Lubinda said the outcome in case was not just because there was no way a clear murder case could be reduced to manslaughter.
He said they expected that the prosecution was going to put up a tight case to convince the judge to pronounce murder rather than manslaughter.
“Kungo deserved a better judgement, not what he got,” he said.
Mr Lubinda said that they were aware of the fact that in the process of the prosecution, there was a lot of interference with witnesses.
He said that a number of witnesses in that case were being intimidated and threatened by the people who had interest in that matter.
PF North-Western Province chairperson Jackson Kungo was August 12, 2021 beaten to death by suspected UPND cadres, who accused him of wanting to deliver pre-marked ballot papers at Kyawama polling station in Solwezi.
Two suspects out of 11 involved in the killing were last Friday sentenced to eight years imprisonment with hard labor contrary to Section 199 Penal Code of chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Appearing before Judge Derrick Mulenga
at Solwezi High Court, Zhah Maseka aged 28 and Jackson Kasongo aged 27 were sentenced to eight years on a charge of manslaughter.
Judge Mulenga ruled that the two, being first offenders, be given eight years imprisonment each with hard labor effective the day of their arrest.
The other nine suspects who have been in custody for 9 months together with the two convicts were released but judge Mulenga cautioned them that they may be rearrested should the State still find a case against them.
Judge Mulenga expressed displeasure with the high number of political violence cases being recorded in Zambia.
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