By  SYLVIA MWEETWA –
TWO pupils who were found guilty of sexually assaulting and murdering a 34-year-old Kabwe woman, have been sentenced to three years at Katombora Reformatory School.
This is in  a case in which the two pupils aged 16 and 18 sexually assaulted and murdered Anna Chabala on November 28, 2012 and were facing one count of murder.
In passing  judgment, Justice Elita Mwikisa, convicted and  sentenced the  two  juveniles but said  she was sending  them to  Katombora school  following  a  social  welfare  report  which stated  that they lacked parental guidance and  warned  them against  committing similar  offences in future.
Ms  Justice Mwikisa said it was clear that the behaviour of the juveniles was dangerous because they lacked  respect  for elderly  persons and  urged  them to use the time  of incarceration to better  their  lives by learning the skills.
“After hearing evidence from both parties, it is clear that the two juvenile convicts were the ones who killed the woman gruesomely and took advantage of her drunken state, which is a sign of bad behaviour and that you lack respect for elders,” Ms Justice Mwikisa said.
During the trial the state called seven witnesses, with Richard Phiri testifying that on the night of the murder, he saw the two teenagers dragging the woman from a night club.
Another witness Aretha Mafinga told the court that the mother to one of the convicts asked her to tell Ms Chabala to stop having an affair with her son.
Arresting officer, Albert Chama said he found the woman’s body with no underwear and had a deep cut on her stomach and that a knife was used in the act.
He said it took more than a month to apprehend the second accused person and later jointly arrested them for murder.
The two juveniles denied committing the offence during their defence.