3 Kitwe police officers jailed for life over armed robbery
By George Zulu
THE Kitwe High Court has convicted and slapped life imprisonment sentences on three police officers for an aggravated robbery that occurred five years ago.
In this case, Richard Mpengaula, Teddy Nyirenda, and Kennedy Mwansa were sentenced to life while Luka Mtonga and Peter Kamabayenda were acquitted.
Appearing before High Court judge Abbah Patel, the trio was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on one count of aggravated robbery contrary to Section 294(2) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
According to evidence before the court, Mpengaula and Nyirenda were stationed at Wusakile Police Station, while Mwansa was a police officer under the Kamfinsa Mobile Unit in Kitwe.
Particulars of the offence were that on January 3, 2020, in Kitwe Mpengaula, Nyirenda, Mwansa, Mtonga, and Kambayenda, whilst acting together and armed with a firearm, stole a copper blister, a chain block, and four steel pipes altogether valued at K65, 040.
In delivering judgment, Justice Patel found Mpengaula, Nyirenda, and Mwansa guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment while Mtonga and Kambayenda were acquitted.
Justice Patel noted that Mtonga, as a driver of a vehicle, and Kambayenda, as a conductor, were just hired by the group to carry the stolen items from the scene of the crime.
She said there was no evidence linking them to the aggravated and armed robbery offence.
And the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) said the judgment, delivered on Wednesday, sent a clear message that the authority would vigorously pursue justice against all crimes in ensuring that those who commit crimes face the full consequences of the law, regardless of their status in society.
