By 
In a resounding verdict, Ronald Chitotela, the Patriotic Front (PF) Pambeshe Member of Parliament, faces a severe sentence of not less than 10 years after being found guilty of arson by the Kawambwa Magistrates’ Court.
While Chitotela’s Kawambwa counterpart, Nixon Chilangwa, was acquitted of arson charges, he was not spared from the law.
Chilangwa has been found guilty of malicious damage and received a five-year sentence.
Furthermore, he has been sentenced to an additional 11 months for threatening violence and 18 months for occasioning actual bodily harm.
These sentences would, however, run concurrently.
Chitotela, although acquitted of charges related to threatening violence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, now awaits the High Court’s decision on the arson charges.
Read more: Ex-Tourism Minister, Chitotela’s appeal rejected by Economic and Financial Crimes Court
This case involves a trial where Chitotela, Chilangwa, and five others stood before Magistrate Martin Namushi at the Kawambwa Magistrates’ Court.
They were charged with arson, threatening violence, malicious damage to property and assault, all allegedly committed during the August 2021 general elections.
The others involved in this trial are Kalumba Chifumbe, Davy Kaniki, Chabu Chitotela, Charity Musantu, and Kunda Chitotela.
Chifumbe has been sentenced to five years for malicious damage to property, threatening violence, and threatening actual bodily harm.
Kaniki and Kunda Chitotela have been found guilty of arson, while Musantu has been acquitted of all charges, walking free.
Magistrate Namushi has denied the bail applications for Chilangwa and Chifumbe, citing unconvincing reasons for their release.
The defense team is expected to appeal for bail in the High Court.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments