Six months imprisonment with hard labour for outstadning Lodging bill

This is in a matter in which Rashid Matulo, a driver of house number PHI 522, Lusaka and Cynthia Chelo, unemployed, of house number 58 Mine Section, Mufulira, pleaded guilty to obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretenses.
The offence is contrary to Section 309(1) (2) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence were that between September 17 and 18, 2013 in Livingstone, Matulo and Chelo jointly and while acting together, dishonestly obtained pecuniary advantage of Munga Village Eco Lodge by pretending that they had money to pay for lodging but ended up incurring a K1,515, whose payment they failed to make.
The duo appeared before Livingstone Magistrate Naomi Sithole last week for reading of facts.
Facts before the court were that on September 17, 2013, Matulo and Chelo booked rooms at Munga Village Eco Lodge in Livingstone where they incurred a bill of K1,515.
But as the duo was checking out the following day, it failed to pay the bill even after having a lengthy negotiation with staff at the lodge.
The matter was reported at Victoria Falls Police Post and the two were arrested and charged for the offence.
Under warn-and-caution, the duo admitted committing the offence.
And in passing judgment, Magistrate Sithole gave the duo a seven-day ultimatum in which to pay the K2,000 fine or go to jail for six months.