Maravi

Dr Musonda’s shock not surprising, says Sata

Dr Musonda’s shock not surprising, says Sata
By Mwala Kalaluka
Mon 06 June 2011, 04:01 CAT

PF leader Michael Sata says convicted former health deputy minister and MMD member of parliament Dr Solomon Musonda is shocked that despite belonging to the ruling party, he has been slapped with a nine months prison sentence for shooting a PF cadre.

And SACCORD says Dr Musonda's conviction should send a clear warning to perpetrators of political violence that they can be taken to the International Criminal Court if local systems failed to deal with them.

Commenting on Dr Musonda’s complaints that the nine months jail sentence imposed on him by Kabwe High Court judge Mugeni Mulenga for shooting Jackson Musaka in his Chitambo Constituency last year was excessive and shocking, Sata said in an interview yesterday that it was not surprising that Dr Musonda was shocked by the conviction.

Sata said, however, that Dr Musonda was legally entitled to exhaust the entire judicial process by appealing his conviction all the way up to the Supreme Court.

“He is shocked because he did not expect that, being on the side of government. So he is right by being shocked,” Sata said.

He said Dr Musonda was shocked by the court's decision because other people that were on the side of the government had gotten away with such crimes.

“Others got away with it without appearing even one hour in court,” Sata said. “He is shocked because this is not the end of the story, because having been convicted for more than one day he has Medical Council to face for his practicing licence.”

On the behaviour of MMD cadres that harassed private media journalists that wanted to interview Dr Musonda after his imprisonment on Friday, Sata said such conduct was unfortunate as the country headed towards the general elections.

“It is most unfortunate that our colleagues instead of being sorry for the person who was injured by the gunshot they want to bring more violence,” said Sata.

MMD cadres led by Central Province vice-chairman George Kangwa threatened to manhandle journalists from The Post and Muvi TV that went to cover the court proceedings relating to Dr Musonda's sentencing last Friday.

And Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes SACCORD executive director Lee Habasonda said in an interview yesterday that the number of blood-thirsty characters must be minimised ahead of this year's polls.

“It must send a clear warning to perpetrators of violence that you can’t go on abusing other people because you are in authority,” Habasonda said.

“It conviction is going to minimise these blood-thirsty characters we have in the country.”

Habasonda said Dr Musonda’s conviction by judge Mulenga would somehow enhance public confidence in the judiciary and people could still rely on it for conflict resolution.

Habasonda said the issue should be seen beyond Dr Musonda in view of the fact that Zambians could still drag architects of political violence to the International Criminal Court ICC in the Hague should the national systems fail to deal with them.

Dr Musonda was on Friday afternoon released from detention at Kabwe High Court holding cells after judge Mulenga granted him a K2.5 million cash bail pending appeal against his conviction and sentence.

This was just hours after he was sentenced to prison.

In convicting him, judge Mulenga said Dr Musonda’s shooting of Musaka was a reckless and unjustifiable act for which a defence of self-defence could not sustain.

Labels: CADRES, MICHAEL SATA, MURDER, PF, SOLOMON MUSONDA

posted by MrK @ 2:04 PM