Couple handed 2 years jail sentence for denying a child access to medication

First Grade Magestrate Court in Neno has convicted and sentenced an apostolic church member Ben Jekentala and his wife to two years and six months imprisonment with hard labor for denying his children access to medication.

Through state prosecutor Sub-inspector Golden Kakoma, the court heard that on 31st January 2022, two children of the family got sick and due to religious beliefs their parents denied the children access to medication which resulted to death of the children.

The matter was reported to police, and postmortem revealed that the deaths were due to Malaria.

Police arrested the parents, Ben Jekentala and his wife and later taken to court.

Kakoma said Jekenta and his wife deserved stiffer punishment for the offence of harmful social practice and denying children access to medication contrary to Section 80 and 83 of Child Care and Protection Act.

Passing the judgement, Her Worship Magret Khobili slapped the two with 2 years and 6 month imprisonment with hard labour.

Ben Jekentala and his wife hail from Galeta Village in Traditional Authority Chekucheku in Neno district.