Chief jailed 3 years for assault

The Ntchisi First Grade Magistrate’s Court has convicted and sentenced Group Village Head Chituza to three years imprisonment with hard labour for unlawfully wounding his brother over firewood.

The court, through prosecutor Austin Daudi, heard that GVH Chituza—whose real name is Peter Kapesa, 57—of Chituza Village in Traditional Authority Nthondo in the district, on October 26 unlawfully wounded his brother, Joseph Phiri, 41, due to disagreements over firewood.

The court heard that Phiri had arranged with Kapesa to buy firewood for burning bricks and the convict was tasked with arranging transport.

However, when Phiri went to collect firewood at Nthondo Village, Kapesa changed his mind and refused the victim to collect the firewood.

This led to a quarrel, following which Kapesa assaulted Phiri.

Ntchisi Police arrested and charged Kapesa with unlawful wounding to which he admitted.

In court, Daudi paraded four witnesses whose evidence led to Kapesa’s conviction.

In mitigation, he told the jam-parked court that he has a family which looks up to him.

First Grade Magistrate Dorothy Kalua sentenced Kapesa to three years imprisonment to deter would be offenders.