By MAYA NTANDA –

THE Kitwe High Court has sentenced a miner of Chingola to seven years imprisonment with hard labour for strangling his wife to death.
High Court Judge Dominic Sichinga sent to jail Danny Simukanze 27 of 141 Nchanga North, Chingola after he admitted to causing the death of 23-year-old Mercy Mutale on April 30, last year.
Simukanze was earlier charged with murder but reduced to manslaughter which he admitted to.
In sentencing him, Mr Justice Sichinga said the punishment prescribed for manslaughter under section 202 of the penal code was up to life imprisonment.
“In exercising leniency, I hereby sentence the convict to a term of seven years imprisonment with hard labour,” said the Judge.
On April 29, last year, Simukanze started trailing his wife who was in the habit of patronising night clubs without taking care of their child.
The court heard that the convict caught up with Ms Mutale in Kasompe Township and an argument ensued which later led to a fight.
Ms Mutale’s body was found by members of the public around 04:00 hours in Kasompe Township with blood oozing from the nose, mouth and ears, while her face was swollen with a protruding tongue.
During interrogations, Simukanze informed the police that he last saw the wife a month before but after further investigations, it was discovered that the convict’s number was one of the prominent calls on Ms Mutale’s phone.
The other number was for a taxi driver who was used to trail Ms Mutale.
Simukanze said in his statement that his wife was in the habit of patronising drinking places and that was how he took her to her mother’s house so that she could be counseled.
He explained that on the material day, he was informed that his wife was drinking beer in the company of other people and when he met her, she started hurling insults at him.
Simukanze said he did not beat Ms Mutale deliberately but was provoked and when she fell down, he got scared and ran away.
In mitigation, Simukanze said there was room for reformation, which would help him contribute to society and asked for a second chance in life.
He said he was remorseful for his actions and that he had four children who would suffer if sent to prison.
And CHILA NAMAIKO reports that a carpenter of Lusaka has been sentenced to 18-months imprisonment with hard labour by the Choma Magistrate’s Court for assaulting his wife by pouring hot water on her.
Alfred Mwanaumbi, 36, of House Number 21/1 Chawama Township pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife, Ireen Mwansa.
Particulars are that, on January 7, this year Mwanaumbi assaulted his wife by occasioning her actual bodily harm.
On Thursday he appeared before Chief Resident Magistrate Willie Sinyangwe for facts of the charge.
According to the statement of facts, on the material day around 23:00 hours, Ms Mwansa who was spreading her bed, heard her husband beating their sick child in the house.
When she tried to advise her husband against beating the sick child, the man who got annoyed, went outside the house and got a pot of hot water and poured it her.
Ms Mwansa suffered hot water burns on her right arm and she reported the matter to Choma Central police station where Mwanaumbi was apprehended.
When interviewed by police, Mwanaumbi admitted the charge and was arrested.
In mitigation, Mwanaumbi asked for leniency saying he was fending for two of his children, two orphans and a parent who had a stroke.
But Mr Sinyangwe said he could not understand why a Mwanaumbi could harm his wife who was advising him not to harm their child.
“I don’t understand the kind of husband you are, your wife was advising you against your bad manners of beating a sick child and you turned against her. I sentence you to 18months imprisonment with hardlabour,” he said.