The Chadiza Magistrate Court has ordered a 35 year old businessman to pay a fine of 500 Kwacha for assault or serve 12 months imprisonment with hard labour in default.
Before Magistrate Fred Mukasa was Mandaliza Phiri of Mchocho village in Chief Pembamoyo’s area in Vubwi district who was charged with occasioning actual bodily harm.
Particulars of the offence are that Phiri on October 17, 2016 in Chadiza assaulted Gift Tembo of Chimwemwe Camp using a machete.
The duo picked up a quarrel at the market when the complainant went to Phiri’s Trading to demand for 350 Kwacha debt owed to him.
The two argued as Phiri denied having any knowledge of the soccer boots, which Tembo claims were given to Phiri to sell at 350 Kwacha.
A fight ensued when Tembo got a radio from Phiri’s stand in a bid to recover his money.
In the process of the fight, Tembo punched Phiri twice in the stomach and Phiri responded by picking up a machete, which he used to hit his friend twice on the leg and on the side of his chest.
Tembo sustained serious injuries and was later admitted at Chadiza District Hospital.