Kalulushi man to hang for murder

High Court Judge Judy Mulongoti sentenced to death Nicholas Malaya after finding him guilty of murdering James Chansa in June last year.
Evidence in court was that on the fateful day, Malaya shot Mr Chansa, while hunting in the bush.
Simon Mola, 43, had testified that he received a report that Mr Chansa had shot himself.
But Mr Mola and other relatives went to the bush, they found Mr Chansa still alive.
Mr Mola told the court that Mr Chansa had a wound at the back of his head and when asked what had happened, he explained that the two had discovered a beehive on a tree and agreed to make honey from there.
He said Mr Chansa informed him that Malaya asked him to go and collect more firewood and that as he was on his way, he was shot.
Mr Mola told the court that the deceased told him that Malaya was the one that had a gun.
The court heard that Mr Chansa died on the way to the hospital from the bush.
In delivering judgment, Ms Justice Mulongoti ruled that Malaya shot Mr Chansa.
“I find that there are no extenuating circumstances in the case and my hands are, therefore, tied. I have no option but to impose capital punishment. I, therefore, sentence the convict to death,” ordered the Judge.
Ms Justice Mulongoti dismissed Malaya’s evidence that Mr Chansa shot himself accidentally.