Zambia Correctional Services Commissioner General Percy Chato said before the courts of law convicted and sentenced the 170 people to death for committing various capital offences, there had been no inmate on death row. The number had accumulated since July 16, 2015.
“As at July 16, 2015, there was no one on death row following the presidential clemency of 332 inmates by His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the Republican President. The number has risen since honourable courts have continued committing inmates to prison,” he said.
Mr Chato, however, said in response to a Press query that no inmate on death row had been hanged since 1997.
Mr Chato said that the last Head of State to sign the death penalty which eventually led to the execution by hanging of eight inmates at Mukobeko Maximum Security Facility was Frederick Chiluba.
Dr Chiluba’s successor Levy Mwanawasa refused to sign the death penalty during his reign, the precedent which subsequent presidents in Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata and Mr Lungu have carried on.
“There is no legal backing as to whether execution must not be carried out, it is on the Christian tenets since Zambia was declared a Christian Nation,” Mr Chato said.
The death sentence should be abolished just put them on a life time imprison
If you are not killing them why is killing by hanging still in the constitution including the new one? yet same people preach a rule of law. Remove it the hell out of the constitution.
2) are we receiving this news because of HH’s case. Drop those stup!d charges.
As good as 169 men. Because you know who is as good as on it.
You know he is joining them. No man’s hands are too big and long to box with God.
Remember that.
Thanks
BB2014,16
Look we keep going in circles here and quiet frankly it’s getting on my nerves.
So here it is and this FACT.
HH has lost more presidential elections than M Sata.
Let me spin it the other way round. Thee has never been someone who has lost as many presidential elections and climbed to the summit.
Do I make myself clear ?
I will try again. HH is unlikely to ever win an election!
Questions you need to ask yourself is : why and how can you preach democracy in a country where you have flat out failed to entertain a conversion in your own party.
Di I have your attention now?
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Death penalty is not good, they should change all to life in imprisonment. That would be a blessing to HH.
So much for a Christian national. Killing people is not gonna make you a better society
Nothing that is stated in above two contributions has gotten my attention. It’s all garbage as usual.
Is the so-called intellectual above implying that because HH has lost many elections, then he deserved a capital sentence?
That is low-level thinking as usual. No more comments.
the jails will be over crowded. then what?
169 men soon….
DO NOT KILL
Who are we to judge?
Some crimes are just too heinous that the death penalty should be an option. I mean if somebody is going to cause harm to vulnerable children, I think they should pay the ultimate price.
Why should the President have to sign for a death sentence? Does he sign for all other sentences of the courts of law? What are the statistics of innocent people being sentenced TO DEATH? I guess NIL. So let us proceed to hang the lot.
FREE ADVICE: Do not aspire for Zambian Presidency if you are uncomfortable to sign death sentences.
I fail to understand politicians.When the law gives them the right to take away life they shy away only for them to go and kill innocent pipo like Chibulo.Mr Lungu you have 170 citizens whom the law authorises you to kill go kill them and leave the innocent alone.
RECORDED HISTORY
On October 18, 2012, GBM said:
DEFENCE minister and businessman Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba says he was forced to go into active politics in order to successfully operate his businesses that were becoming difficult to run.[END QUOTE]
“Easterners are sly”.
~ GBM in 2013
When is Akainde going to be executed?
GBM and Nevers need to bring sanity to the Useless Ponyio Nyio Dogs (UPND) once Kaponya (HH) has been hanged or stoned to death.
Typical of a failed dictatorship. Better for lungu to die as he has done more harm to this country than any of those men and women
pa,nyo. muzindowako iwe. na hi
o i beg to ask a question, is the hangman on leave or retired or enjoying the Presidential amnesty on the death row inmates?
@6 NEZ, but Lungu is not the one charged with Treason, what’s the matter with you?
And I am not aware how anyone can commit treason against HH, since he is not the President and he has no government.
Lungu will surely hang for the 3 treasonable offences he has committed so far: 1. Disclosing Cabinet proceedings to Newton Ng’uni. 2. Keeping his Cabinet after Parliament was dissolved. 3. Not handing over the Presidency to the Speaker once the Presidential election petition was registered at the ConCourt. Those are hard facts. Lungu has better hope to become Life President.
Among the 10 commandments, there is a law that forbids killing to start with. secondly, these is also a law that forbids anyone from falsely accusing anyone and lastly, there is a law that forbids us from being false witnesses. we claim to be a christian nation, lets check ourselves with our conduct. God is God, he is not man and should never be fooled. King Nebuchadnezzar ended up eating grass like a wild animal for fooling God.
quite frightening the rate of cases leading to this sentence.
I would keep the death penalty in our statute books until Mushota commits a public se.xual indiscretion then I will charge her with treason, trnt Judge Chinyama to convict her then hang her by her diminutive pancake titties until they are fully stretched out and she is pronounced dead ? by Dr Vongho!
There was no need for that
Thanks
BB2014,2016
WELL THE NUMBER IS TOO LITTLE BETTER CLOSE TO 1 MILLION, SHOOTING SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED , PARADE THEM FIRST ALLOW THEM TO DO EACH OTHER PAMATAKO AND THE TWO LADIES KUNYENGA PALI KA BEANS AFTER UBUPULUMUSHI WA LAST OPEN FIRE. SINCE ZAMBIA HAS NEVER BEEN AT WAR MANY SOLDIERS HAVE NEVER KILLED A PERSON IN THEIR CAREER SO USE THESE ON DEATH SENTENCE AS TARGETS ONE INMATE 5 SOLDIERS , EACH SOLDIER TO SHOOT TO TARGET A SPECIFIC SPOT ON THE BODY, THEN WE CAN PROMOTE THE SOLDIER
IT IS A GOOD LAW BECAUSE IT ONLY RELATES TO TERMINATION OF THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO TERMINATE OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES. SO LET THE DEATH SENTENCE BE RETAINED IN OUR STATUTE BOOKS. OTHERWISE MURDERERS LIKE PRECIOUS LONGWE WILL NOTE LEARN ANY LESSONS.
Look at this from ZE,
President Edgar Lungu has warned that if HH manages to come out clean in the charges he is facing in court, then PF is finished politically as many Zambians will look at him (HH) as a hero. Addressing judges and prosecutors handling HH’s case at State House last night, President Lungu also blasted prosecutors for allowing UPND lawyers to mock them in court, much to the embarrassment of the executive. “I thought we are paying you for this job. I am disappointed that you have allowed yourself to be fooled in court by the UPND. Make sure that HH does not win these cases otherwise we are fished as a party (PF). We are really receiving backing from some of our friendly neighbors, so just carry on the case”, Lungu told lawyers.
Lets put Wynter Kabimba on the list for all the deaths he caused inciting PF cadres.
The full text of Senator Cardin’s letter follows:
Dear President Lungu:
I write with concern about the detention of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema in the wake of the raid on his residence on April 10, and urge you to ensure that he is treated humanely, in accordance with the rights put forth in the Zambian constitution and the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights, to which Zambia is a signatory.
Zambia is one of Africa’s most established democracies, with a long tradition of political pluralism, respect for human rights and democracy, and peaceful resolution of conflict. I am concerned that Mr. Hichilema’s detention signals the potential closing of political space in your country. During last year’s general elections, the Independent Broadcasting Authority suspended…
The most recent State Department Country Report for Human Rights indicates that your government has only taken “selective and halting steps to prosecute or punish officials who committed these abuses, targeting mostly those who opposed the ruling party.” I urge you to take proactive steps to bring an end to politically motivated arrests, and ensure that officials who engage in such actions are held accountable in accordance with Zambian law. I also hope that you and all political actors will exercise restraint, respect the rule of law and follow due process, as expected by the Zambian people.
Zambia is one of Africa’s most established democracies, with a long tradition of political pluralism, respect for human rights and democracy, and peaceful resolution of conflict. I am concerned that Mr. Hichilema’s detention signals the potential closing of political space in your country. During last year’s general elections, the Independent Broadcasting Authority suspended licenses for three broadcast stations and raided a newspaper, ostensibly for non-tax compliance. There were also arbitrary arrests of opposition leaders and journalists.
Just commute the death sentences to life. We lose nothing.
I support the death sentence with all my heart. one man murdered the whole family of females. 6 of them, beheaded them leaving only two kids who now live with a 96 old grandmother certain to die soon. The kids are just 4 and 6. Assuming those were your kids and family members, would you allow the guy live freely. The difference between a prisoner and my cousin that leaves in Mukobeko compound is just the wall that sorrounds the prison. They still live on a free food, no zesco bills, no water bills.
We no longer live under “an eye for an eye ” rule. Even 2 minutes in police cells feel like hell. Hanging won’t reverse the damage done.
Was Precious litebele the second woman on death row?That # should increase if the courts dispose off cases quickly enuf. We have so many woman killing their partner’s in cold blood
Make them into ZAMBEEF.KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
@SEMEKI, Senator Cardin’s letter needlessly leans toward HH and so not worth taking serious. Here is where the Senetor gets it wrong:
I write with concern about the detention of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema in the the wake of the raid on his residence on […]. END OF QUOTE.
The lawmaker should instead have written: […] IN THE WAKE OF HIS OBSTRUCTING THE PRESIDENTIAL MOTORCADE […]
The world needs to understand that our dear HH closed the trap door on himself by testing the law to the limit. Only a day before the Mongu episode, the MAST quoted him as saying: “WE ARE CLOSE TO GETTING TO STATEHOUSE.” So when he followed up this claim with the obstruction, he was bound to be misunderstood as being hell bent on usurping power at all costs. UPND political advisers ought…
cont:-@SEMEKI, international community should stop exposing their ignorance, and that includes the senator.
The lawmaker should have read: […] IN THE WAKE OF HIS OBSTRUCTING THE PRESIDENTIAL MOTORCADE.
UPND political advisers ought to know better and properly advise HH. As for the international community, they should read more about Zambia’s politics.
@SEMEKI, read the MAST of 11 April, 2017 headlined WE ARE CLOSER TO GETTING INTO STATE HOUSE, HH TELLS MONGU RESIDENTS.
GBM is quoted: IN AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED, HH IS THE PRESIDENT.
In fact this declaration followed up the Limulunga road delinquency, and not the other way round as earlier stated by myself because the Kuomboka was on April 8, 2017. Therefore this sequence of events makes matters even worse. The state is thus bound to interpret the ‘obstruction’ in the context of the declaration and impute intention, even when the act was an innocent omission or commission. A tamed (silent) tongue does not betray its owner.
If they consciously choose the death row, e.g. treasonists, give them what they want, Amnesty International tells us to grant people like that their democratic rights of choice.
The same one who declared Zambia a Christian Nation is the same President who signed the death warrant for the last execution! Very ironic! Just as ironic as Mushota being voted best and worst blogger for 2016!
Two lonely women in one cell ? Must be christmas everyday! Set them free, cos that moaning you hear is a cry for help. Capital punishment is not for us. ABOLISH IT !