The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 20-year-old Lusaka man to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting his friend.

And a 23-year-old Namibian national, studying at Apex University, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of rape.

Particulars of the offence are that Andrew Mweemba of Avondale, on May 10, 2018 in Lusaka, did assault Kelvin Mwanza thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm.

Delivering a ruling Monday, magistrate Nsunge Chanda said assault was a serious offence and the court would be failing in its duties if it did not give a custodial sentence.

She sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Namibian, Wensel Sheende, student at Apex University, has pleaded not quilty to a charge of rape.

In this matter, it is alleged that Sheende, on July 31 in Lusaka, had unlawful canal knowledge with a named female without her consent.

When the matter came up before principle resident magistrate Ireen Washimanga, Monday, Sheende applied for bail pending his trial.

In response, magistrate Washimanga granted the accused bail in the sum of K5,000 in his own recognizance, with two working sureties in the like sum.

The court however ordered the accused person to surrender his passport to the clerk of court.

The matter has been adjourned to September 3, 2018 for commencement of trial.