The Lusaka Magistrate Court has convicted a 43-year-old headman of Habeenzu village, in Shibuyunji, Lusaka Province, for assaulting a 57-year-old woman thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Wellingtone Habeenzu beat the woman with a stick, injuring her left leg and leaving her with a swollen shoulder and chest pains after suspecting her of killing his cow.

Meanwhile, the Magistrates’ Court has set September 12, 2018 as the date of sentencing.

Particulars of the offence in this matter are that on July 1, 2018 in Lusaka district, Wellingtone Habeenzu, a farmer, did assault Lucia Mweenga 57, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Facts of the matter are that on the July 1, 2018, the complainant Lucia Mweenga, was seated at her house in Mulela village when she saw the accused person in the company of other persons approaching her.

When the accused person got to where the complainant was, he started asking her as to why she had killed his cow and when she refused, he started beating her.

“And when she refused, the accused person got annoyed and started dragging and beating her using a stick. She sustained a cut on her left leg, swollen shoulder and chest pains. She then reported the matter to Shibuyunji police station where the officers took up the matter and proceeded with investigations which led to the arrest of the now accused person,” read the facts.

“Under warn and caution, the accused gave a free and voluntary reply admitting the charge. He had no justification for assault.”

And when the matter came up for facts and sentencing, before magistrate David Simusamba, Wednesday, Habeenzu said the facts were correct after he was asked if he had anything to add or remove.

However, the prosecution said they had failed to trace the original medical report form which was in the custody of the complainant.

Magistrate Simusamba then directed them authenticate the photocopied form and asked the accused person to move forward so that he could see the injured leg.

He thereafter adjourned the matter to September 12, 2018 for sentencing.