Illegal possession of ammunitions lands man in jail

Mulenga Musonda writes
@sunzambian
The Choma Magistrates Court has convicted a 20 years old man to 6 months imprisonment for illegal possession of Ammunitions.
Resident Magistrate Ethel Phiri convicted Steve Mudenda of Choma’s Mbabala area for the offence of Unlawful Possession of Ammunitions contrary to the Firearms Act of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Mudenda on October 28 had in his possession 10×12 balls of ammunitions without a firearms license issued in respect therof.
When he appeared for plea before Court, Mudenda understood and pleaded guilty to the charge read to him by the Court through the Interpreter Munika Mwananshiku in Tonga the language he understood better.
According to the Facts stated by Senior Public Prosecutor Alex Syulikwa, the accused was apprehended around 23:00 hrs when he hiked a Vehicle without prior knowledge that a Police Officer was on board.
The Officer became suspicious of Mudenda’s luggage and requested that the bag be searched to which 10×12 balls of ammunitions were recovered .
He was later taken to Police where he failed to give a satisfactory answer on what he was doing with the ammunitions.
Despite Mudenda pleading guilty and being a first offender Magistrate Phiri fined him K2,000 and in default to serve 6 months imprisonment with hard labour.