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Nakonde villager to hung for murder
Kasama, September 25th , 2014, ZANIS —- The high court in Kasama, Northern Province has sentenced a 33 year old man of Ituntu village of Nakonde district to be hanged by the neck until he is pronounced dead for murder.
Mrs. Justice Petronella Ngulube in an open court yesterday sentenced Stephen Simuntala 33 of Ituntu village in Chieftainesss Nawaitwika after the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubts.
Particulars of the offence were that Stephen Simutala, on 18th November 2012 is alleged to have murdered Aggrey Sinkala which the he denied the charge.
Mrs Justice Ngulube said in passing sentence that the prosecution had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Simuntata had murdered Sinkala after a brawl.
The prosecution had in this vain called four witnesses, among them was the accused brother Lackson Simuntala 42 of Ituntu village of Nakonde district in Muchinga Province.
Simutunda said on the material day, around 06:00 hrs, he noticed that the deceased had blood oozing from his nose, bruises on the forehead, the nape and swollen chest.
Justice Ngulube explained that PW1 ( Lackson ) feared to draw closer to the deceased person but instead rushed to inform the village headman whom he couldn’t find as he was away in the field.
The court head that the witness later decided to report the matter to community crime prevention unit (CCPU) within the village which mobilized itself to the murder scene where the deceased body of his murdered brother was found.
It was heard furthermore that Lackson and the CCPU team left the murder scene to Stephen Simuntala’s house, about 20 metres away, where human blood mixed with water was found at the veranda of the accused house.
It was later learnt that the duo , the accused and the deceased were friends and cut timber together.
Another witness, a police officer Kingsley Simutonga 34, detective inspector, said when he inspected the deceased body, he noted two cuts on the forehead.
Detective inspector Simutonga later charged and arrested the accused for murder, after the investigation revealed that the accused was the last person who was seen in the company of the deceased.
“Further, it was discovered that the scene of the murder was a meter and half away from the accuser’s house,” he added.
And the accused in his defense distanced himself from beating of the deceased.
“I am therefore satisfied that the prosecution has negative all the possible defences and proved its cases against the accused beyond all reasonable doubts. I therefore find the accused guilty of murder as charge and I convict him accordingly,” she said.
“I direct that Stephen Simuntala be hanged by the neck until he is pronounced dead” Mrs Justice Ngulube directed.
