On September 17, Captain Stephen Lungu alias Captain...

On September 17, Captain Stephen Lungu alias Captain Solo was sentenced to death together with 58 soldiers for plotting and executing the October 28, 1997 coup against President Frederick Chiluba's Government. All but 4 of 59 soldiers sentenced to death appealed against treason convictions, defense lawyers said. Captain Lungu said he was not appealing against his death sentence because he was guilty and was not surprised by Judge Japhet Banda's verdict because God had revealed it to him on July 25. The sentence is the largest death sentence in Zambia's history. An anti-death penalty lobby, spearheaded by the churches, particularly the Catholic Church, and various human rights groups used the sentence to re-launch their campaign against capital punishment and called on Zambia's born-again Christian President to overturn the sentence.CCJP National Executive Secretary Father Joe Komakoma said, "The death penalty meted out to the 59 soldiers will not guard against future military takeovers." He cited West Africa where military tribunals and executions that have followed attempted coups have not stopped further attempts. Commenting on the High Court judgment, Father Komakoma said while treason was a serious crime it was not proper to punish offenders in this "this cruel and unnecessary" way. He said the death penalty only perpetrated a circle of violence, rather than putting an end to the targeted felonies.