Civil society backs life sentence..
By MONICA MAYUNITHE Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a life sentence for a defiler in Southern Province has been welcomed by some organisations which advocate positive affairs of children.
Zambia National Aids Network (ZNAN) spokesperson Sam Kapembwa said in an interview that defilement cases are on the increase in Zambia and that there is need to find means of controlling them.
He said any severe punishment for defilers is welcome as it will discourage would-be offenders.
“Any stiff punishment against defilers must be welcomed by those supporting the welfare of children,’’ Mr Kapembwa said.
He said severe punishment of defilers is long overdue and that defilers “must be removed from public circulation.”
“It is something (punishment) long overdue. People who defile children are like murderers,’’ he said.
And SOS Children office sponsorship and public relations officer Emmie Lamaswala said defilers should be severely punished.
She, however, said minors who defile fellow minors must be given a chance to reform.
“ If it is a fellow minor, they should be given a chance to reform. As for adults, they must be punished because they know what they are doing,’’ Mrs Lamaswala said.
She said as an organisation advocating the welfare of children, SOS has warmly welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to impose a life sentence for defilers.
“ We have seen how traumatising it is for victims of defilement and we want to strongly support the decision,’’ she said.
Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a life sentence imposed on a 24-year-old defiler of Mazabuka by the Livingstone High Court.
This was in a case in which Nchimunya Zuze of Ndeke township appealed against the life imprisonment slapped on him after defiling a 14-year-old girl on two occasions.
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