ZAMBIA. TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR AGGRAVATED ROBBERY

June 11, 2008: Acting Supreme Court Judge, Timothy Kabalata has sentenced a 70 year old man and another 42 year man both of Lusaka's kuomboka township to death for aggravated robbery.
This was after 70 year old Simon Nyirenda and his accomplice John SImfukwe 42 were convicted for stealing from Josphine Mupeta's home a bruno rifle, a radio cassette and other personal goods valued at over K7 million while armed with an AK 47 rifle.
70-year old Nyirenda has however been acquitted of murder charges but convicted and sentenced to 20 years on another aggravated robbery charge he committed with another Kenneth Tembo when they stole from Ngoza Zulu household property on November 12, 2002.
Whist robbing Ngoza, they used violence in order to stop her from putting up resistance.
Judge Kabalata when acquitting Nyirenda for murder charges, noted that though Cliford Mambwe died of gun shot wounds there was insufficient evidence to connect him to the murder.
He however convicted the 70 year old man and his two accomplices on two counts of aggravated robbery despite his pleas of having 17 children and 11 other dependants. (Sources: ZNBC, 11/06/2008)