Mwinilunga man gets 20yrs for son’s murder

A 57-YEAR-OLD man of Mwinilunga in North-Western Province has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour for murdering his son.

Kitwe High Court judge Chilombo Phiri sentenced Ronald Soneka after finding him guilty of murder.

Soneka murdered his son Sebastian on November 24, 2014.

Passing judgment, judge Phiri said she took into account what was said in mitigation of the accused on his behalf by defence counsel.

“The mandatory sentence for this offence of murder is death. However, where extenuating circumstances exist, any sentence other than death should be imposed. I agree that there are extenuating circumstances in this matter,” judge Phiri said.

“The deceased in this matter had been troubling his father for a long time. In addition, he insulted his father in a manner that society would not accept. I therefore find that there is jurisdiction for the non-imposition of a death sentence in this matter. I therefore sentence the convict to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour effective the date of his arrest.”

During trial, Fidelis Mpenzhi, 45 testified that on the material day, he received information that Sebastian had been killed by his father.

The court heard that Mphenzi went to the murder scene in the company of other members of the public and found Sebastian’s body on the road stained with blood, with a deep cut on his body.

An axe was used in the murder, while the convict had run away.

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