By KASONDE KASONDE –
FIVE men have been sentenced to death by hanging by the Kabwe High Court after being found guilty of aggravated robbery.
Kabwe High Court Judge-in-Charge Dominic Sichinga convicted and sentenced Moses Mwape, Davies Chisenga, Thomson Kasuba, Charles Saulos and Richard Banda after finding them guilty of the criminal offence.
Mr Justice Sichinga, however, acquitted three others who were facing the same charges while one was jailed for 15 years.
This is a case where nine men were facing three counts of aggravated robbery after stealing from three farms in Mkushi District.
In the first count Peter Katampi, Luka Banda, Mwape, Banda, Musa Saulosi and Chisenga on September 27, 2014 in Mkushi jointly and whilst acting together with others and armed with a pistol did steal from property belonging to Jonathan Cocker.
Among the items stolen were two pairs of boots, one CD case, one hand-made knife, one canon camera, three wallets and 70 pounds cash all valued at K89,022.
In the second count Mwape, Chisenga, Kasuba and Saulos on November 19, 2014 while acting together and armed with a firearm did steal K2,152 and other household goods valued at K9,686 belonging to Boyd Sinkalu.
Banda, Katampi, Reagan Chimfwembe, Richard Banda, Moses Mwape and Saulosi were also accused of stealing a motor vehicle, two cell phones, a water pump and a generator from Simon Richard.
During trial the prosecution brought witnesses, including Boyd Sinkalu, who was one of the property owners who narrated how he found four men outside the house when he woke up following a dog barking at night.
Sinkalu said the four men asked him whether the owner of the farm was around and as he was about to answer one of the men fired a gun shot into the air.
Another witness told the court that on the same date around 21:00 hours as she was seated outside with her brother at the farm, four men approached and started beating her and the other people.
In passing judgment, Mr Justice Sichinga in count two sentenced Mwape, Chisenga, Kasuba, Richard Banda and Charles Saulosi to death by hanging.
Chifwembe was jailed for three years for being in possession of the stolen items while Musa Saulosi, Luka Banda and Peter Katampi were acquitted.