Two women plead guilty to assault in Chipata court

TWO women of chief Kapatamoyo’s area on Friday pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the Chipata Magistrates’ Court. Before senior resident magistrate Boniface Mwala were Matilda Mashowo, 49, and Pamela Banda, 47, who are alleged to have assaulted Ruth Mbewe on October 16, 2018. Asked why she assaulted Mbewe, Mashowo said the complainant insulted her while Banda said she issued a disparaging remark against her to the effect that she could not get married because she suffers from epilepsy.

After entering pleas of guilty, magistrate Mwala adjourned the matter to November 22 for presentation of facts. Magistrate Mwala also adjourned the matter involving Hellen Chirwa, 30, who is charged with trafficking in over 1.4 tonnes of loose cannabis to November 19 for continued trail. The matter was supposed to come for continued trial on Friday but the state informed the court that the last witness who was supposed to testify had a bereavement.

In July this year, Chirwa complained in court that she was beaten by the arresting officers to force her admit the charge. After the facts were read out to her, Chirwa told the court that the loose cannabis did not belong to her. She said she only admitted the charge after she was beaten and told to admit the charge. Chirwa said she only asked for transport from the truck which was allegedly found with the cannabis to go to Lusaka and buy wigs.

She was arrested on July 16 by Drug Enforcement Commission officers.