CHITOTELA GETS 10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR ARSON
December 17, 2024
PAMBASHE Member of Parliament RONALD CHITOTELA has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor for arson.
The KABWE High Court passed the sentence today.
KABWE High Court Resident Judge IRENE MBEWE has ruled that the KAWAMBWA Magistrates Court was on firm grounds to impose a conviction on Mr. CHITOTELA and his co-convicts for
Mr. CHITOTELA’s co-convicts are DAVIES KANIKI and KUNDA CHITOTELA.
Judge MBEWE has ruled that the conviction was meted out in accordance with the law.
Earlier Judge MBEWE dismissed a preliminary application by defence lawyers to vary the conviction of Mr. CHITOTELA.
Judge MBEWE ruled that the application lacked merit and was tantamount to forum shopping.
Mr. CHITOTELA and his accomplices were convicted of arson by the KAWAMBWA Magistrates Court in July, 2024.
However KAWAMBWA Magistrate MARTIN NAMUSHI could not pass the sentence because the Magistrates Court lacks jurisdiction to impose a minimum 10 years penalty prescribed for arson.
Mr. CHITOTELA and his co-convicts were pronounced guilty of burning a Mahindra vehicle belonging to the UPND Luapula Province Youth Committee during campaigns for the 2021 General Election.
