A 21-year-old woman of Ndola who intentionally made three young boys scratch and touch her private parts after promising them jiggies has been sentenced to 45 years imprisonment. Precious Tembo will, however, only spend 15 years behind bars because her sentences of 15 years each in three counts will run concurrently.

In sentencing her, Ndola High Court judge Derrick Mulenga described her behaviour as despicable. He said the offences committed were in bad taste and an insult to women, especially that society expects them to take care of children. “It is not only despicable but also a danger to children of a tender age.

She placed the children in danger of contracting communicable diseases such sexually transmitted infections. I will sentence you to 15 years in count one, 15 years in count two and 15 years in count three, with simple imprisonment. The three counts shall run concurrently from the date of your arrest,” Justice Mulenga said. And according to the evidence on record, Tembo, of Twapia Township in Ndola, was charged with three counts of indecent assault on children.

On September 9 last year, Tembo wilfully and unlawfully indecently assaulted three boys at her home. The victims, aged seven, six and five, testified that Tembo told them to follow her to her home under the pretext that she would give them a coin to buy jiggies. The children said Tembo did not give them the coin but instead told them to scratch her private parts. The seven-year-old boy, who was first to testify, told the court that while playing with his friends, Tembo asked them to follow her home.

He told the court that when they reached her place, they were told to remove her shoes, clothes and later asked them to scratch her private parts claiming that there was a wound inside. The second victim, a six-year-old boy, also testified that Tembo made him touch her breasts and private parts. In her defence, Tembo admitted committing the offence but said she was drunk. In sentencing Tembo, Justice Mr Mulenga dismissed her defence of intoxication stating that drunkenness was not a defence.

“Having looked at the evidence in totality, as well as the judgment, I have come to an inescapable conclusion that she was properly convicted by the lower court,” Justice Mulenga said.