A 30-year-old man of Ndola identified as Luckson Ngabala has been sentenced to 24 months with hard labour by the Ndola magistrate court after he pleaded guilty to burning Kapalala market after he left a brazier unattended to.
This is in a matter where Luckson Ngabala of 120 Kabushi is charged with criminal recklessness and negligence.
When the matter came up before Magistrate Oswald Chibalo, Ngabala admitted the charge.
“I admit the charge. I had no right to make a brazier in the market because it is not allowed. No one permitted me to leave the brazier unattended to. We are not allowed to put braziers in the market. I don’t know how I left it unattended to. I only left it for like four minutes. I left it to go and work,” he told court.
In mitigation, Ngabala said it was not his intention to see the market on fire becuase that was also his place of livelihood.
He asked for the court and the marketeers to forgive him.
But magistrate Chibalo said he was sending Ngabala to prison to protect his life.
…That was too quick a sentence, this stranger than fiction,,,
Wow, unheard of, fast justice.
Magistrate Chibalo is judge of the year. He deserves a medal for being the wisest and fastest judge.
This is undoubtedly the quickest trial in Zambian history.
Ba Ngabala is so honest man, he even asked forginess from fellow traders.
Going to jail for being poor and honest.
The man deserves presidential pardon. Lungu, these are the people to show your kindness, not Kanene.
First kambwili denied to attend kusefya pa kwena to protect him from pf thugs, now ngalaba sent to prison to protect him from who? New way of protecting people in Zambia is denying them their freedoms. Bamufwika amala yambushi umunyamata uyu.
This is not justice.Did they take into consideration that the market was not built according to fire safety regulatory standards? Wasn’t it the councils job to make sure traders traded in a safe place with enough measures in place to protect the traders and their goods? When was the last time the place was inspected.If you are going to imprison this poor man who is a bread winner then you need to send the council in with him.It would be better to sentence him to community service than take 2 years out of his life and leave his family impoverished. LAW MAKERS where are you?
Never heard of someone sent to jail for his protection. Was he going to be acquitted had there been no threats on his life in this fast track trial? Just who pulled the strings in this trial? The justice system in Zambia is evermore confusing.
Jailed after 24 hours of alleged crime being committed. Justice in zed is indeed swift.
I hope legal institutions come to the aid of this poor man. He is being made a scapegoat. He I said not responsible for this.
His only crime is being poor, voiceless.
Disgusting.
Honesty Man.
This is un injustice on the poor man and a clear case of both police violence and threats.All our markets are also bedrooms for our marketeers and to stay warm they all keep braziers which are also used for cooking.what technology was used to identify that one braziers as the cause of the fire.let us be fair even to people who can’t afford lawyers.
Market was burnt by UPND not this man
Your criminal friend admitted the mistake but you see upnd in it
WHOEVER BURNT THE MARKET, I LOVE THE SPEED AT WHICH THE CASE HAS BEEN DISPOSED OFF. OTHERWISE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER LOOPHOLE FOR LAWYERS TO MAKE MONEY ON, ON A SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT FORWARD CASE AS THIS. COURTS SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THIS EFFICIENCY ESPECIALLY WHEN EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMINGLY, AVAILABLE. WELL DONE AND HATS OF TO YOU NDOLA COURTS.
True this is simple and straight because the man had no motive at all. Sad that so many people will suffer because of his carelessness. Councils should put fire hydrants in markets for quicker fighting of fires. .or even extinguishers and train people how to use and protect these important tools.
To be honest, I am confused with this.
@Nkambu – it’s confusing indeed especially that this was not a fastract court. Even if he pleaded guilty, judgement could have been set for another day. I DOUBT THE REALITY OF THIS! There are many mbaulas made mu market. Something or everything is not right here
Has it been proved that it was the brazier that caused the fire??
This guy needs to be investigated intensively, I can smell something much deeper than what he has disclosed.
He must have been sent by some crooked forces probably politicians who want to cover up their past deeds.
This is political to the least.
Meanwhile ignorant members of society were busy saying niba opposition.
This poor man was supposed to undergo psychiatric examination before being sentenced. He may have been drugged or bewitched so that he could say what he doesn’t know. Or he was pleading guilty under duress. He needed time to come his proper senses. The court shouldn’t have been so fast in a case of such magnitude.
niba UPND
Meanwhile, people who procure expired drugs are free enjoying the money. They have not been jailed to protect lives of citizens. Mockery of the justice system in Zambia.
Comment:It was not duress, duress comes after torture, DAT man was guilt
Sentenced to protect his life with hard Labour? Is something missing here? A person who does not waste court time but quickly admits their mistake don’t deserve a harsher sentence. If Zambia was a truly a Christian nation, we should not be hearing of such quick and harsh questionable judgements! What if the person is innocent but chose to admit to the charge to protect his life on account of the criminal publicity he got? Any lawyers to assist this poor man by appealing this sentence?
We are living in the last days indeed….lesa sobone
Meanwhile woman who ran over husband goes free, because she has money and can access lawyers!
Babylon never ceases to amaze me!
an accidental burning does not amount to arson in my opinion, let the man go free with a fine for negligence
But magistrate Chibalo said he was sending Ngabala to prison to protect his life. How true is this statement from the learned Magistrate? Would you not have asked him to relocate for his safety? Like others have said, it is equally my very first time in life to hear of someone going to jail for his safety. What happens when he is released? Will his safety be guaranteed? What about the fellow prisoners whose relatives are marketeers at the same market, is he safe from them?