Ex-Zambian Midfielder Sentenced to Life in Prison for Defilement

An appeal against a 25-year prison sentence by former Zambia national team midfielder Duddley Fichite turned sour when the Supreme Court sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Fichite had been convicted for having carnal knowledge of his ten-year-old niece in Kamwala South whom he infected with HIV and syphilis in December 2014.

The Supreme Court, which was sitting in Ndola earlier this week, quashed the decision by a lower court and sentenced the ex- Primeiro de Agosto of Angola player, who had appealed on the grounds that there was an error in the interpretation of the law when they found him guilty of the offense.

Three judges namely Gregory Phiri, Jones Chinyama and Elizabeth Muyovwe replaced the previous sentence made by Lusaka magistrate Betty Malupenga on April 2016 with life imprisonment because the appellant failed to defend his actions in the matter.

Fichite is best remembered as being top Scorer in the Zambia Super League in the year 2001, bagging 17 goals for his club Green Buffaloes.

According to Zambian Eye, the midfielder earned 16 international caps for the country and was extremely instrumental later on in Chipolopolo’s campaign for world cup qualification under Coach Kalusha Bwalya.

He retired from playing soccer in 2008 after playing briefly in Angola for the outfit Primeiro de Agosto.

At the time of his arrest, he was the assistant coach for army sponsored side Riflemen and worked as a staff sergeant in the army.