FOUR ex-convicts in Kabwe have been jailed

0
prison arrest
prison arrest

FOUR ex-convicts who were behind a spate of thefts from houses and shops in Kabwe have been jailed for seven years each with hard labour by the Kabwe Magistrate’s Court.
Their co-accused Martin Bwalya, 34, has been sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment with hard labour after he pleaded guilty to theft.
The police estimated the value of goods stolen by the ex-convicts at K29,495.
Kabwe principal resident magistrate John Mbuzi sentenced Haggi Kalunga, 19, Twemani Kelly Zimba, 29, Evaristo Lungu, 32, and Patson Chikashi Katobaula, 35, when they appeared before him last Thursday.
The convicts were charged with theft, burglary, breaking into houses and into a building and committing felonies, contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
When they appeared before the court on October 1 and October 4, 2013, they pleaded guilty to the offences and each one of them asked for the court’s leniency during mitigation.
Kalunga, Zimba, Lungu and Katobaula were each convicted on two counts, and have been slapped with a jail term of three years and six months on each count.
Mr Mbuzi told the convicts that they would serve their sentences consecutively with effect from September 26, 2013.
He said much as the convicts had not wasted the court’s time and were entitled to leniency, the offences they committed are very serious.
Mr Mbuzi said cases of theft and house-breaking were prevalent in Kabwe and by punishing the convicts, the court is sending a warning to would-be offenders.
“Almost every day, there is an indictment on these offences -meaning that the community is not at peace.
“The sentences slapped on the five [convicts] would serve as a warning to intending offenders to refrain from theft and breaking into other people’s properties,” Mr Mbuzi said.

NO COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY