The Patriotic Front (PF) has suffered yet another blow, losing another parliamentary seat following the sentencing of Pambashe Member of Parliament Ronald Chitotela to 10 years with hard labor for arson.
The people of Pambashe in Luapula Province will now head back to the polls within 90 days to elect a new representative.
Kabwe High Court Resident Judge Irene Mbewe upheld the conviction handed down by the Kawambwa Magistrates Court, finding Chitotela and his co-accused, Davies Kaniki and Kunda Chitotela, guilty of arson.
However, Chitotela was acquitted of charges related to threatening violence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The case stems from the turbulent 2021 elections, during which Chitotela, Nickson Chilangwa, and five others faced charges of arson, threatening violence, malicious damage to property, and assault.
Chilangwa, the former Kawambwa MP, was also convicted of malicious damage and sentenced to five years in prison. The Kawambwa by-election to fill his vacant seat is scheduled for this Friday.
