Zambia’s Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed death sentences for 44 soldiers for their role in a failed 1997 military coup, but ruled that 10 others will not have to hang, an AFP correspondent reported.
The rulings were made by five judges headed by Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.
The High Court had found the soldiers guilty of treason and sentenced them to death by hanging, but they immediately appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that they were caught up in the coup unintentionally.
Under Zambian law, the president has the final say on whether the death penalty should be carried out in each case.
In the aftermath of the bid to topple then president Frederick Chiluba, 59 soldiers were arrested but the High Court acquitted some while others died during the time their case was in court.
Zambia’s founding president, Kenneth Kaunda, was also arrested in connection with the same coup attempt but was released without trial.
Chiluba, who was head of state from 1991 to 2001, is currently on trial on corruption charges, accused along with others of having stolen about $45-million from the state. — Sapa-AFP