A Boy Child Advocate has condemned the alleged assault and filming of a 14‑year‑old boy in Chawama, describing the incident as degrading and unlawful.
this follows Videos circulating on social media reportedly show the boy, identified as Joseph Jimwanya, being beaten by several women after he allegedly attempted to steal a crate of drinks from a local shop.
Family sources say Joseph, who lives with his unemployed grandmother, had been sent to buy sugar worth K2 but instead took the drinks due to hardships at home.
His father is deceased, while his mother, also unemployed, resides in Misisi Compound.
The family has appealed for assistance with food, school uniforms, and books
In an interview with Lusaka Star, Young Boy Awake Mental Health Advocate Abigail Phiri said,while the boy’s actions were wrong, the response violated children’s rights.
“There are procedures in which the matter should have been handled,” she said.
She added that no child should be subjected to corporal punishment or physical abuse, regardless of whether they are offenders.
Phiri cited the Children’s Code Act No. 12 of 2022, which prohibits corporal punishment and the recording or posting of minors without consent.
She urged continued public sensitization on children’s rights.
Meanwhile, Law scholar Musturd Phiri added that Zambian law criminalizes both the assault and unlawful capture of minors.
“Assaulting a child is punishable under Section 248A of the Penal Code, while unlawful detention or capture may amount to kidnapping under Sections 259 and 260,” he said.
He referenced a 2024 case in which a stepmother was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for assaulting her four‑year‑old stepson, noting that conviction under Section 248A often carries imprisonment without the option of a fine.