A 21-year-old woman of Chipata’s Kalongwezi Extension Township in has been convicted and fined K10, 000 by the Chipata Magistrate Court for attempting to sale five voters cards.
The Court has declared that if the convict fails to pay the K10, 000 fine before May 25, 2021, she will serve a seven months jail sentence.
This is a case in which Tanaka Ibrahim appeared before Chipata Resident Magistrate (RM), Betty Mwiinga for one count of offering to sell voters cards contrary to section 87(1) (d) of the electoral process Act Number 35 of 2016 of the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence were that Ibrahim on April 29, 2021 did offer to sell five voters cards to Zuberi Muthalika, a practice which is illegal relating to the polls.
The convict admitted to the charge when the matter came up for plea on Wednesday.
On April 29, 2021 police in Chipata received information from members of the public that some people were selling voters cards in Kalongwezi Township.
Acting on the report, police rushed to Kalongwezi Township and found Ibrahim and her friend Jemima Musonda with five voters cards bearing different names.
Police picked Ibrahim and her friends, together with the voter’s cards bearing names of Ruth Mwale, Sharif Jamey, Esther Lungu, Fridah Mwale and Ibrahim Teneka.
After investigations were conducted effectively, Musonda was released from police custody and was turned into a state witness.
The Court heard that Ibrahim duped the owners of the voter’s cards by lying to them that there was a politician giving loans to Chipata residents once they produce voter’s cards.
The Court also heard that the owners of the voters cards believing it was true, gave Ibrahim their voters cards to acquire loans on their behalf.
The owners of the voter’s cards were shocked upon hearing the convict had put their voter’s card on sale at K100 each.
In Mitigation, Ibrahim asked the Court for leniency as she was a first offender who had readily admitted to the charge.
The convict told the Court that she was youthful and if given a second chance she would help in bringing development in the nation.
Ms Mwiinga said she had taken note what the convict had said in mitigation but added that the offence Ibrahim committed was a serious one especially that there are supposed to be general elections in the country this year.
“I have taken note of what you said in mitigation, however this is a serious offence especially that the country is going to the polls this year,” she said.
Resident Magistrate Mwiinga sentenced the convict to K10, 000 fine in default or serve a seven months simple imprisonment.
Ms Mwiinga said the convict should pay the fine before May 25 or serve the jail sentence.
Desperate upnd cadre chimangeni
There’s no property in the voter’s card, is there? This is the problem whn you give the franchise to every Jim, Jack and Erica. The vote is too cheap in Zambia because it’s available to all citizens of a certain age. This is a mistake.
But what has Chipata Trades Institute got to do with the story?
But why the picture? What has Chipata Trades Institute got to do with the story?