RAINSTORM DESTROYS HOUSEHOLDS IN KAPIRI

A heavy rainstorm destroyed household property worth millions of Kwacha in Katupu area over the weekend.

The storm also destroyed seven households have been displaced in Kantupu area in Kapiri Mposhi District after their houses collapsed following a rainstorm.

The seven families have since been relocated to Kantupu Basic School where they are sheltering in classrooms.

Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner, Urgent Mazuba confirmed the incident to ZANIS today saying the rainstorm happened last week and that no lives were lost.

Mr. Mazuba said heavy rains flooded and destroyed houses at Mukukwa village and left over 35 people homeless.

ZANIS reports the District Commissioner saying this during a conducted visit to the site today. This was  to assess the damage caused by the torrential rains.

Mr. Mazuba said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) will soon provide tents and medical supplies including Chlorine to the affected families.

He noted that the continued squatting of the families in classrooms has greatly affected the learning process of pupils at the school.

The DC urged DMMU to expedite the provision of temporarily tent shelters for the affected families to normalize learning of children at the school.

ZANIS

TAXI DRIVER ARRESTED FOR RAPE

The Mufulira Magistrate Court has committed a 26 – year - old man to the High Court for sentencing in a case where he is charged with rape.

Mufulira Resident Magistrate Tamara Gondwe committed Nicholas Malichanga of house number 263 Kankoyo to the High Court after the accused was found guilty of raping a 24 – year - old woman contrary to section 132 of the penal code.

Facts before the court were that on 2nd January this year the accused who is a taxi driver forcefully had canal knowledge of the named complainant.

In passing judgment, Magistrate Gondwe found the accused guilty of the offence saying the complainant’s testimony was accurate as it was supported with medical laboratory test and results which confirmed that the complainant was actually raped.

Magistrate Gondwe further noted that the court found the accused guilty as charged because he failed to prove his innocence beyond reasonable doubt.

The accused is currently in custody waiting high court sentencing.

Meanwhile Magistrate Gondwe has called on Mopani Copper Mines and other mining contractors to uphold safety standards within the mine premises to avoid accidents.

She said its cardinal for the mine and contractors to ensure that workers operate in safe environment and provided with protective clothing.

Magistrate Gondwe said this when she delivered a verdict in an inquest into the death of Kazembe Mwelwa aged 30 who died while working at Mopani Copper Mine on December 9, 2010.

The deceased of house number 780 of Kankoyo was a contracted worker of a local cooperative who met his death when a rock fall on him while selecting stones at the mine.

ZANIS

NURSE ASSAULTED

A nurse at Kitwe Central Hospital yesterday appeared in Kitwe Magistrate Court and narrated how she was beaten up by two men who had brought a patient at the hospital.

Appearing before Kitwe Magistrate Densen Muchaba, Cecilia Kalonga 29, narrated that on March 7, she was working on a night shift from Luapula ward when a patient died from the ward and she went to inform the doctor down stairs.

Ms Kalonga said on her way back from seeing the doctor, she came across a group of people who were shouting and insulting nurses who later turned on her threatening that they were going to beat her up.

She narrated that she later explained to them that she was not operating from the Out –Patient Department but they did not listen to her and later the two accused started beating her up accusing her of negligence.

She added that the two men punched her on the head, back and chest and threw away her wig and was only rescued by one of the two men’s relative.

Ms Kalonga further narrated that she sustained injuries and rushed to the security guard who reported the matter to the police who later arrested the two men.

And a witness who was working with Ms Kalonga in the same ward told the court that she heard noise downstairs and decided to call her colleague on her mobile phone but Ms Kalonga answered in between sobs and said she had been beaten by two men.

The two accused denied the assault charge slapped on them when they appeared for plea before Magistrate Muchaba who found them with a case to answer.

Particulars of the matter are that on March 7, 2012, Felix Mulenga, 25 and Silas Chintu, 32 of house number M65 Chamboli in Kitwe jointly and whilst acting together did assault Cecilia Kalonga 29 of house number 13 Geddis street Nkana East thereby causing occasioning bodily harm contrary to section 248 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Magistrate Muchaba has since set April 7, this year for commencement of trial on the accused.

ZANIS

PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONS FUND INTRODUCES MICRO FINANCING SCHEME

The Public Service Pensions Fund says it will soon introduce a micro financing scheme in which members under the fund will have access to loans.

Head of Public Relations Alex Chileshe disclosed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Ndola today.

Mr Chileshe said the financing scheme is aimed at ensuring that members access loans for use towards addressing areas of need and problems such as school fees and others.

He said members will be allowed to borrow amounts ranging from K1 million to K50 million and will be repaid over a period of time.

He said the scheme which has since been finalised is expected to be launched next month.

Mr Chileshe has urged civil servants to take advantage of the scheme once it is launched.

Mr Chileshe however, disclosed that the pension fund body owes close to K700 billion in form of retirement benefits for workers who have retired to date, a situation he said was attributed to inadequate funding over the years.

He however said government is making every effort to ensuring that this amount is liquidated and issues of long queues at the pension fund become a thing of the past.

ZANIS

STUDENT IN COURT FOR PORNO

A 20 – year - old former student of Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS), Teddy Malekani has pleaded guilty before Magistrate Bornface Mwinga for producing obscene cinematographic material.

This is in a case where Teddy Malekani a former student at Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS) is charged for producing obscene cinematographic material that is said to corrupt morals contrary to the laws of Zambia.

The case has however been adjourned to March 28, 2012 at the Lusaka Magistrate Courts for mention of facts and sentencing.

Meanwhile Malekani’s advocates Wilson Mweemba earlier bitterly confronted a Post Newspaper photographer who he said was interfering with his privacy by taking photos of him and his client while journalists reminded him that his involvement in a public case makes him a public figure.

ZANIS