ZAMBIA: COURT UPHOLDS SENTENCE FOR MOTHER IN-LAW MURDER

the Supreme Court in Zambia upheld the death sentence of a 51 year old man who raped and murdered his mother in-law on Christmas day in 2005. Mpundu Shebele, a carpenter of Nchelenge district, was charged and convicted of murdering Jennifer Mumbuluma. He was sentenced to death by the High Court, prompting him to appeal to the Supreme Court against the conviction and sentence. The court heard that Shebele harassed Mumbuluma at a Christmas party, and later took her to buy beer. The two never returned and the following morning, passers-by discovered the deceased's body by the road side, raped. Justices Lombe Chibesakunda and Christopher Mushabati, and Supreme Court Judge Florence Mumba noted that there was no evidence of bias and they found no merit in the appeal, which was therefore dismissed.