I am from the bottom of my heart appealing to the republican President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, to use his constitutional powers and rights to pardon veteran journalist, Mr Derrick Sinjela.

A wrong was committed, and whose wrong was equally admitted without wasting the courts time.

This appeal collides with the festive season which is the season of love and forgiveness.
It’s a season of give and take.

My grounds of appeal are based on the fact that Sinjela chose to admit that he was wrong and remorseful to his actions.

As a law abiding citizen, he chose not to flee the nation giving enough room to authority to judge him positively as a responsible adult and citizen of this nation.

This country has witnessed in the past where three renowned musicians where given mercy by our courts on serious matters of ganja or dagga smoking.

Reasons of pardon where that they had large followings and if sent to jail, the public was meant to loose out.

Most recently a young student from the University of Zambia was caught with cannabis and sent to jail.

I compared between a young promising intellectual versus musicians.

Personally I expected the courts to have pardoned our young student so as to give him chance to repent and further graduate from University.

Upon graduation, he would have contributed to national development in his area of speciality without fail.

Sinjela, has been instrumental in his works. Having worked with him in the bank, ever jovial and helpful person.

This is the period he could have been with his family.

This is not to rubbish the court ruling and the judges who presided over the matter but merely making an appeal to my President.

Only President Lungu, can save and pardon Sinjela.

President Lungu personally pardoned a musician who was jailed for an offence of defilement.

Society still need the services of Sinjela.
I have no doubt that our President will deal with this matter amicably without fail.

Dr Cephas Mukuka
Political researcher.