Kasama nurse pleads guilty to laptop theft

Before Magistrate Kelvin Soma was George Kamfwa, 28, who stole the laptop from Kasama General Hospital.

When the charge of theft by public servant was read out to Kamfwa and he readily admitted his guilt, hospital management changed its position about having Kamfwa prosecuted and applied to have the case withdrawn from court.

Management said it would deal with the case administratively.

Particulars of the case were that Kamfwa, on November 6, 2013, while acting together with other unknown people, stole an institutional laptop computer.

The magistrate is yet to make a ruling on the case.

Meanwhile, a Kasama High Court has reduced the sentences slapped on a dozen Somalis that entered Zambia without presenting themselves to immigration officers.

High Court Judge Petronella Ngulube reduced the two-year sentences slapped on Hibano Lagassa and others to nine months imprisonment dated back to their day of arrest.

The Somalis had through their Legal Aid Board lawyer Zulu also appealed against the K10, 000 fine ordered by a lower court.

Ms Justice Ngulube set aside the fine saying it was excessive.

According to their of argument, the three-day settlement period ordered by the trial magistrate had not been enough for the now prohibited immigrants to arrange resources to settle their fines.

Times of Zambia