A maid of Lusaka and her lover have been sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for kidnapping two children of their Indian boss and theft of motor vehicle.
Hellen Banda 27, and her lover Chilimuna Kambwili 39, a businessman of Lusaka, were slapped with five years for abduction in two counts and two years for stealing a motor vehicle which will run concurrently effective September 28,2021.
This was after they pleaded guilty to the charges before chief resident magistrate Dominic Makalichi.
In the first and second counts, Banda and Kambwili, on September 13, 2021 jointly and whilst acting together, unlawfully took the 10- year-old girl and nine-year old boy out of the care and protection of their father and mother, Dharmesh and Kumar Patel against their will.
In the third count, the duo is on the same date alleged to have stolen a Toyota Allion registration number BAG 5479 valued at K110,000 belonging to Patel.
Asked why they kidnapped the two children, the couple said they connived and stole the children because Banda was fired for absenting herself from work without being paid her salary arrears and that her money was deducted for being five minutes late.
She added that she stole the vehicle for transportation to Kabanana area where she rented a house and held the children hostage.
Asked if she was aware that kidnapping children was a crime Banda, confirmed.
And Kambwili said he colluded with Banda to deprive her former employers custody of their children so that they could pay a ransom.
Asked if they had consent from the children’s parents to kidnap them, the couple denied.
Magistrate Makalichi convicted the duo upon their own voluntary admission of guilt and convicted them as charged.
In mitigation, Banda regretted her actions.
“I am very sorry for what I did. I feel bad and plead for your mercy. I feel broken for what I did, I am a mother, I have left a child of nine months. Since I was remanded, I realised my mistake. For the mother I know what she went through. I am short of words for what I did, I ask for leniency,” said Banda.
Kambwili said, “I allowed my emotions to take hold of me. Since I worked for an Indian for 10 years, I never got my benefits so I wanted to revenge. I came to realise what I did was wrong. I apologise to the mother and father for the emotional trauma they went through. Since we have been incacerated, I realise my mistake. I promise to change if given another chance in society. I ask the court to exercise leniency.”
In his judgement, magistrate Makalichi castigated the pair for using wrong means to enrich themselves.
“What you did is very wrong. We need to respect the law. Respect people’s rights! there are better ways of making money than abducting people’s children. The only punishment for such an offence is to go to jail. You deserve a stiff punishment to deter would be offenders. In count one, I sentence you to five years, in count two five years, in count three two years to run concurrently,” said magistrate Makalichi.
“You have the right to appeal if you think my sentence is too harsh.”
Facts are that on August 16, 2021, Rajeshree Dharmesh Patel and his wife Kumar Dahyabhi Patel saw an advert on Facebook in which Banda was seeking a job as a maid on the basis that she knew how to speak indian language and cook Indian food.
The children’s parents got the contact details and when they called Banda she introduced herself as Christine.
On September 13, Chama Mulenga was instructed by Patel to pick up the children from his home and take them to Monix School in Rhodes Park.
The keys to the vehicle were always given to Mulenga by either Banda or the children as their mother usually left early for work.
When Chama reported for work, he noticed that Banda and the children were not at home to which he called Patel who later informed his wife.
The children’s parents got the contact details and when they called Banda she introduced herself as Christine.
On September 13, Chama Mulenga was instructed by Patel to pick up the children from his home and take them to Monix School in Rhodes Park.
The keys to the vehicle were always given to Mulenga by either Banda or the children as their mother usually left early for work.
When Chama reported for work, he noticed that Banda and the children were not at home to which he called Patel who later informed his wife.
The children’s mother called Banda’s mobile and that of her son but they were off prompting her to report the matter to the police station.
It was reported that Banda around 11:00 introduced the juveniles to Kambwili as a new driver who was employed by their father to pick and drop them at school.
Kambwili tricked the children that he would drive them to school but he diverted and drove at high speed.
The victims tried to guide him to use the correct route to their school but Kambwili told them to shut up and drove to his house in Kabanana compound where he locked them up in a room.
At 19:00 hours, Banda went to the room where the children were locked up.
Upon seeing her, the victims pleaded with their kidnapper to take them back to their parents and give them their phone which was grabbed by Kambwili.
Banda informed the children that they would only be released after their father paid them a ransom.
The children were starved the whole night and were fed chips and orange juice on the following day.
After the children finished eating, Kambwili tied up the oldest and warned him not to pester him about going home.
The following day, the 10-year -old boy got hold of his phone and called his father and asked him to send money to Banda and her lover so that they could be released.
The pair demanded for K2,000,000 which was later reduced to K50,000 and directed them to deposit it in Majory Zulu’s account but the same was not paid.
Reacting to the judgement, the children’s parents were delighted that justice had prevailed.
