The Magistrate Court in Kaputa has fined three men 4000 kwacha for unlawful possession of fish during the fishing ban.

Before Magistrate Emmanuel Mukoma were Charles Mambwe, Jericho Mwansa, and Ben Pesa who were charged in two separate cases.

In the first case, Charles Mambwe of Chashele village in Chief Kaputa’s chiefdom in Kaputa District was fined K1,000 for being found in possession of over four kilograms of fresh bream fish.

This was in matter that came up for plea in which Mambwe pleaded guilty for unlawful possession of fish during the fishing ban contrary to sections 14(1)(a) and 3 as read with sections 57(a)(b) and (c) of the Fisheries Act number 22 of 2021, and statutory Instrument number 24 of 2012 of the laws of Zambia.

Brief facts were that on January 13, 2026, Mambwe was found with the said fish and was apprehended by officers from the Fisheries Department and the Zambia police.

In passing sentence, Magistrate Mukoma said he had considered a plea of guilt and that the convict is remorseful, and the weight of the fish that was caught.

He then convicted him accordingly and charged him with a 1000 kwacha or in default four months imprisonment with hard labour.

In a related case, Jericho Mwansa and Ben Pasa were also fined K1, 500 each for unlawful possession of 29.5 kilograms of fresh bream fish and 3.7 kilograms of catfish respectively.