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| Africa: Southern |
| Zambia coup plotters set to hang |
| 2003-12-18 |
| Zambia’s Supreme Court has backed death sentences passed on 44 soldiers involved in a foiled 1997 coup attempt. The court ruling spared 10 others from the death sentence. The 54 soldiers were charged with forming a private army and attempting to overthrow the former head of state, Frederick Chiluba. They were also found guilty of breaking into an arms depot, assaulting army officers and seizing state broadcasting studios to announce the takeover. If you attempt a coup, better make sure you succeed. That, and have a escape plan ready in case you don’t. Under Zambian law, President Levy Mwanawasa, Mr Chiluba’s successor, has the final say on whether the death penalty should be carried out. They’ll swing, it keeps people from getting ideas about trying it themselves. |
| Posted by:Steve |