The Balaka First Grade Magistrate’s Court has ordered a 45-year-old man to pay a fine of K65,000 for claiming that a woman in his village is HIV positive and that she was deliberately spreading the virus.
State prosecutor Sub Inspector Liston Sabola told the jam-packed court that the convict Frank Nazombe on November 18, 2023 at Chilobwe Village in Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District uttered discriminatory information about the HIV and AIDS status of a certain woman.
Balaka Police spokesperson Inspector Gladson M’bumpha said the court heard that on the particular night around 20:00 hours, the convict and his friend went to the victim’s house to drink beer. They later started quarreling with other customers at the beer joint and the convict was chased out of the premises.
State prosecutor Sub Inspector Sabola further told the court that the following day, the convict went again to the house of the victim and started insulting her. He claimed that she is HIV/AIDS, adding that she transmitted the virus to various men.
This led the victim to report the matter to police.
Appearing before court, Nazombe pleaded not guilty to a charge of discrimination on HIV and AIDS contrary to Section 6 of HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Management) Act.
This prompted the state to parade three witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and he was convicted accordingly.
In mitigation, the convict asked the court for leniency, saying he committed the offence under the influence of liquor.
In his submission, state prosecutor Sub Inspector Sabola pleaded with the court to pass a stiff punishment to the offender as a warning to other would-be offenders.
In his ruling, First Grade Magistrate Phillip Chibwana concurred with the state’s submission and quashed the mitigation factor and therefore sentenced him to pay a fine of K65,000.00 as a compensation to the victim.
The convict, Frank Nazombe, comes from Kapile Village in the area of Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka District.
