Chitotela to Appeal 10-Year Sentence for Arson

KABWE – The legal team of Pambashe Member of Parliament Ronald Chitotela has announced plans to appeal his 10-year prison sentence handed down by the Kabwe High Court for arson.

Chitotela, a former cabinet minister, was convicted alongside his brother Kunda Chitotela and a third accomplice, Davies Kaniki. Represented by lawyers Kapamba Kombe, Jonas Zimba, Frank Lungu, and Benjamin Mwelwa, the trio was found guilty of torching a Mahindra vehicle belonging to the United Party for National Development (UPND) Luapula Province youth committee during the 2021 general election campaigns.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Irene Mbewe condemned acts of political violence, emphasizing that elections in Zambia must be free from intimidation and fear. “In a civilized democratic dispensation such as ours, candidates should campaign by selling their ideas without resorting to demeaning or intimidating tactics,” she stated.

Judge Mbewe sentenced the convicts to 10 years of imprisonment with hard labour, underscoring the gravity of arson, which endangers both property and human lives. “Despite the presence of law enforcement to maintain order, the convicts chose to take matters into their own hands. Such conduct is reprehensible,” she said.

The defence had earlier sought a High Court review of the conviction handed down by Kawambwa Magistrate Martin Namushi on July 22, 2024, but the application was dismissed as “forum shopping” and deemed an abuse of judicial process.

Following the sentencing, Frank Lungu, one of Chitotela’s lawyers, confirmed their intention to challenge the ruling. “We will definitely appeal the sentence,” he stated as the convicts were escorted to a maximum correctional facility.

The judgment prompted emotional scenes in the courtroom, with family members of the convicts visibly distressed as the trio was led away.

Source : GroundTruth Zambia