AN MTN employee in Ndola who assaulted a neighbour’s child on New Year’s Day has been sentenced to five years.

This is in a case where Madrine Numwa, 40, was facing one count of assaulting a child.

Numwa was found guilty after trial and the matter came up for sentencing.

Particulars of the case were that on January 1, 2020, in Ndola, Numwa of Ndeke Township assaulted the boy who was playing with other friends by throwing a stone at him which hit him on the forehead.

When the matter came up for sentencing before Magistrate Changa Chitabo, Numwa was found guilty of assaulting the boy and was convicted accordingly.

In mitigation, Numwa told court that she was a first offender who was remorseful for her actions and that she was a bread winner who also had a child to look after.

Passing judgment, Magistrate Chitabo said that he had taken note of the mitigation and that she was a first offender.

“However, this offence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for which the court has no option but to impose that since it is assault on a child,” said Magistrate Chitabo.