Court Jails PF Cadre For Beating Lubinda

Lusaka Magistrates Court has sentenced a member of the Patriotic Front to two years in prison for beating justice minister Given Lubinda in what has been described as a ‘barbaric’ manner. 

38-year-old Martin Mambwe of Kalingalinga Township was sentenced by Chief resident Lameck Mwale on Tuesday. 

Mr Mambwe has been found guilty of assaulting Mr Lubinda at Kabwata Market on July 12 2019, causing the justice minister actual bodily harm.

Magistrate Mwale ruled out the possibility of Mambwe being wrongly identified because Mr Lubinda and his special assistant were both able to recognise the assailant at an identification parade.

Justice Mwale also dismissed claims that Mambwe was recovering from tuberculosis when Lubinda was slapped, calling the excuse an obvious ploy to absolve himself. 

“I have no reason to doubt that the accused committed the offense he is charged with, I find that the prosecution has proven the charge beyond reasonable doubt and I find the accused guilty of the offence as charged and convict him accordingly,” he said. 

The magistrate noted with disappointment the political nature of the attack, calling the incident not only retrogressive but barbaric and unAfrican. 

““I will be failing in my duties if I allow such kind of violence to go unabeited especially violence on an elected representative of the people occasioned during the performance of his parliamentary functions. I find this to be aggravating circumstances,” Mwale said.