Chali Mulenga

THE High Court has sentenced a-36-year-old businessman of Choma to five years imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking in heroin and marijuana. This is in a case Doubt Mwiinga of Shampande township in Choma is charged with two counts of trafficking in psychotropic substances. On June, 1, this year in Choma, Mwiinga trafficked 74.48 grammes of heroin and also 20.3 kilogrammes of marijuana without any lawful authority. When the matter came up for sentencing before High Court judge Kenneth Mulife, the state indicated to the court that it supports the conviction of the lower court. Judge Mulife informed the prosecution and defense that he was satisfied with the conviction of the lower court and would proceed to sentence him. But the defense lawyer, Martin Makinka argued that his client is a first offender who deserves leniency for having admitted the charge. Mr Makinka said the lower courts have even meted out sentences between six months and two years’ imprisonment with ...

THE High Court has sentenced three peasant farmers of Namwala to seven years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a herd of cattle valued at K56,000. This is in a case Bizewell Shimini, Wisdom Shimini and  Prosper Muyaya are charged with stock theft. On July, 8, 2017, in Namwala, the trio stole one herd of cattle valued at K56,000. The matter was tried before the Namwala magistrate's court and it was committed to the High Court for sentencing. The lower court felt that the minimum mandatory sentence is not sufficient for the number of stolen animals is high.   The state supported the conviction  and the committing of the case to the high court for sentence.   In mitigation through their lawyer,  Brian Gombwa of Mak partners urged the court to take into account the type of livestock which was stolen and the reasons it was stolen. Mr Gombwa said they are first offenders it is for this reason that the court should exercise maximum len...

THE High Court has acquitted three Department of National Parks and Wildlife police officers of lying in court as the evidence was not sufficient to warrant the conviction.  This is in a case Charles Kapindula, Charles Siame and Jeremiah Milimo were charged with perjury. Evidence on record before High Court judge Kenneth Mulife is that the trio were privately prosecuted after Gabriel Phiri whom the trio had testified against him in the magistrate court for obstructing wildlife police to search his vehicle. On April 14, 2016 he was stopped by wildlife police officers so that they can search his vehicle but he declined. Phiri was acquitted and he contested that the trio lied before the magistrate court. On June 6, 2016 the trio were acquitted at no case to answer stage.  Phiri lawyer adrian Nkausu of AC Nkausu and company argued the trial court erred  when it acquitted the trio and dismissed the charge.   Mr Nkausu stated that during judicial proceedin...

 THE Ministry of tourism Slyvia Masebo has called on civil servants to stop in fighting against their departments in the country so that they can foster national development. She said there is no need for the people to fight over the implementation of Government programmes. Speaking in Livingstone at New Fairmount hotel during the UNWTO local organising committee, she said too much time was being wasted on talking than on implementation of the programmes. “We must talk less and implement government programmes, as all the programmes that are talking about are for the Government,” she said. She said that she had observed that there is tendency by government department and ministries to fight each other. She said civil be mindful that whatever they doing was for the Zambian people and that for the same Government and head of state thus no need to fight amongst each other. Ms Masebo said that civil servant should not undermine government programmes. She also reminded th...

THE Ministry of tourism Slyvia Masebo has called airlines in the country to ensure that the give the country the best planes during the forth coming UNWTO conference slated for August.  Ms Masebo said that Livingstone should have more than just one airline.  Tourism and Arts Minister Masebo and her counterpart Minister for Transport, Works and Communications Christopher Yaluma met representative of Kenyan Airways (KQ/KLM) and Emirates in Livingstone on Monday afternoon. During the meeting which was held at the Royal Livingstone hotel, Tourism and Arts Minister Silvia Masebo said that tourists and delegates coming into Zambia and a Livingstone in particular were disadvantaged because there is only preflight airline operating between Lusaka and Livingstone.  “There is a feeling that the planes that get into Zambia, we want quality planes to land into the Zambia,” Ms Masebo urged the airlines. “You give us your best planes so that the people that will come to...

THE Hotel Catering Tourism & Allied Workers Union of Zambia (HCTAWUZ) general secretary Michelo Chizyuka has said there is need to put the workers rights at the heart of the sustainable tourism and hospitality of the country. He said his union will expose all companies that do not allow their workers to join unions. He said in statement made available to the Times of Zambia in Livingstone, the general secretary said that the union would list down all the names of companies which hinder their workers joining the unions for the sake of national participation. “As unions we believe that sustainable development of tourism can only be achieved when all workers rights are also taken into account,” Mr Chizyuka said that workers in the tourism sector should be able to exercise their rights to freedom of association. He insisted that workers in this sector are great resources that deserve full protection as already enshrined in Zambian constitution and in our labour laws. “...

By CHALIMULENGA THE ministry of sports in southern province has kicked off the preparation for the August 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly by taking out the current playing surface for the Maramba stadium in Livingstone. Maramba stadium is earmarked for the closing ceremony of the UNWTO general assembly where it is going to seat over 4,000 delegates. Southern province sports coordinator Kennedy Mubanga said the Maramba stadium is ear marked for rehabilitation. Speaking in interview at Livingstone at Maramba where the works were in process, Mubanga said the ministry of sports and the Livingstone city council is working on the playing surface. “We to plant kikuyu grass-root after resurfacing the grounds and Zambia Air Force (ZAF) has offered us support as they have seconded their grounds manager for Koloma stadium Mr Richard Phiri,” he said. Mubanga said that terraces will be worked on as the current once will be demolished.  H...