The two local court magistrates connected to the Mosi-Oa-tunya National Park white rhino killing have each been sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour.
Also sentenced are three others who were jointly charged after being convicted of the offence of being in possession of a prescribed trophy.
Principal Magistrate Exonobert Zulu of Choma sitting in Livingstone sentenced Active Tambo 46 and Elvis Sikkachoma 44 both senior local court magistrates.
Others are David Mununga 66, an Estate agent, Sydney Mulenga 31, a Contractor and Mwala Mwendanei 39 a businessman.
In delivering a five-hour judgement, Magistrate Zulu noted that it is disheartening that two magistrates who are supposed to be good examples in society could involve themselves in criminal activities.
He said the insatiable desire for money is worrying and that the behavior of the two magistrates affects the entire justice system which has potential to erode public confidence in the institution.
Magistrate Zulu said considering what is at stake, there is need to send out the right message so that people do not lose confidence in the justice system.
And Magistrate Zulu ordered that the cost of investigating the matter be recovered from the five convicts because the high cost should not be borne by tax payers.
He also ordered for the forfeiting to the state of all gadgets used in the offense except for the two vehicles, a Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Vitz which have been conditionally forfeited because they do not belong to the convicts.
Magistrate Zulu has given the conditional forfeiture of the two vehicles and given 90 days in which the rightful owners of the properties must apply for their return failure to which they will be given to the state.
Meanwhile, the two magistrates Sikkachoma and Tambo including businessman Mwendanei visibly sobbed after the seven-year sentence was handed down.
Spouses and relatives to the convicts also cried when magistrate ZULU meted out the sentence.
Wonderful…
But wait!!!
That man in Eastern province who was convicted and jailed for 18 years for stealing a 25 kwacha chicken!
You are jailing these for 7 years each??
Am scratching my heard!
So is the chicken more evil that needs meting out a stiffer penalty?
Yaba iichalo chandoshi says Pilato
Those magistrates will meet convicts they sentenced in jail. They will marry them.
Thank you your honor for sending these despicable criminals to prison where they belong. Anybody killing our wildlife deserves no mercy. Hopefully this will send a message to other would be poachers. Put some more poachers behind bars, please. Again thanks.
14 years could have been better.
@Nostradamus….They are in more trouble than they realize. Lol
@Magistrates…..Justice, as we want it to be, does not exist. What about Liato (and 2Billion plus stolen money), General Kanene(Defilement)…? It is the world as it is.
Local magistrates are just like chiefs they don’t have any power to preside over criminal matters, they only handle minor civil cases and claims. Even chefa like abena Mwine Mushe have more power than ka local magistrate so don’t be confused with a resident magistrate, an RM is the same as a judge and can send you to jail for 20 years for stealing a chicken, pant or a condom. I still believe we would be better off putting them on Community Service where they could offer free legal advice to members of the community at courts, that way they get to pay their debt back to society in a positive way and not being turned into slaves at the local remand prison where they will just wither and dies from TB or typhoid.
While I appreciate your comments . I disagree with your suggestions .. Boy those guys are now criminals who must be treated like any other offenders. In additional to this they automatically loss their previous honour ..
Law breakers. …these guys can really dress you down in their courts. Tasting one’s own medicine.
Local court magistrate?
We used to call them local court justices or ba shamfumu. Title changed in the early 1990s.
Nonshi na market balikwata for the rhino horns?
They should be sobbing….they are EVIL! And they should have gotten at least 25 years!!!!! These men were entrusted government officials…and we are facing EXTINCTION OF SPECIES. Throw them under the jail now that I think of it. SHAME ON THE CRIMINALS….