AFTER readily admitting to escaping from Mwembeshi Maximum Correctional facility before the Lusaka Magistrates Court last week, ” ailing abductor” James changed his plea as he appeared for sentencing yesterday.
The 23-year old lad told the court said did not remember any incident that involved him breaking out of jail.
On April 20, 2023 Bwalya and two of his co-accused Henry Phiri and Christopher Nchenge who are inmates, pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody.
The trio told magistrate Keegan Litiya that they had no lawful authority for their youthful bravado to break free from jail.
According to facts read out by prosecutor Patrick Mungala, the three broke out from their jailhouse on February 26, 2023 around 23:00 hours during an interruption of power supply to the facility.
Despite achieving the first step of their prison break, It was a mission impossible for Bwalya and his accomplices to jump the five meter brick wall as they were followed in hot pursuit by prison officers following an alarm by other inmates.
Bwalya injured his spinal cord in the process and was given a mother of all prison beatings by officers for breaching correctional facility rules thereby risking their jobs.
Asked if the facts were correct, Phiri and Nchenge affirmed but the bold Bwalya changed his plea and denied having escaped from prison.
He said he will engage the services of his lawyer Osborne Ngoma who will battle his case to end.
“I don’t remember escaping from prison, I deny the facts as read, I will call my lawyer from the High Court to represent me, I sustained injuries at prison,” Bwalya told the Court.
Magistrate Litiya convicted Phiri and Nchenge based on their own admission of guilt and recorded a plea of not guilty for Bwalya.
In his mitigation Phiri petitioned God for forgiveness and vowed not to be take part in escapements as he had learnt his lesson.
Nchenge who admitted his wrongs begged for the Court’s mercy indicating that he sprained his ankle and can’t walk properly.
Magistrate Litiya imposed a one-year jail term on Phiri and Nchenge which will run consecutively with the jail term they are serving.
He adjourned the matter to May 10 for Bwalya’s trial.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba April 26, 2023.
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