By MAYA NTANDA –
A KITWE magistrate’s court has sentenced a 37-year-old woman to two years simple imprisonment for child concealing and dumping the body in the crocodile infested Kafue River.
Magistrate Maxwell Mainsa sentenced Mary Chola, a maid of Chipata Township, after finding her guilty of child concealing.
Chola was accused of secretly giving birth to a baby at her employer’s house, concealing the birth and disposing off the body in the Kafue River on June 4, this year.
She had wrapped the baby in a chitenge material and later carried it in a plastic bag before dumping it in the river.
Mr Mainsa was satisfied with the prosecution evidence and convicted Chola accordingly.
He, however, suspended the sentence for six months on condition that Chola did not commit a similar offence within the two year period.
Mr Mainsa also ordered Chola to do community service at the subordinate courts for 30 days failure to which she would serve the two year jail sentence.
“I sentence the convict to two years simple imprisonment but suspended for six months on condition that a similar offence is not committed and the convict shall do 30 days community service,” he said.
In defence, Chola told the court that she delivered the baby and threw it in Kafue River because she was confused and did not know what she was doing.
