Nakonde woman jailed for theft

—The Nakonde magistrate’s court in Muchinga Province has convicted and sentence a 36-year old Serenje-based business lady to three years simple imprisonment after she was found guilty of theft contrary to the laws of Zambia.

Before magistrate Joshua Sikazwe was Bupe Musele who had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Ms Musele stood charged with one count of stealing KR6500 from two business persons, namely Jacob Zulu of Lusaka and Christine Chanda of Kitwe, contrary to Section 272 Chapters 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Facts before the court were that on February 19 this year Musele was arrested by police after she was reported to have stolen the said amount of money from the two named complainants who were together at Nakonde border where they went to order some goods for sale at Tunduma border in Tanzania.

When passing judgment the magistrate said following the evidence adduced before court by the state witness he was convinced that the accused did commit the offense she stood charged with.

Magistrate Sikazwe said he had taken into consideration all what the convict had said in mitigation but that cases to do with theft have become rampant in the area, adding that there was need to punish the offenders in order to contain the situation and deter other would-be offenders.

He said he was, therefore, sending the convict to prison for three years simple imprisonment with effect from the day of arrest.

In mitigation, Musele said she was four months pregnant and it would be very difficult for her to keep the child if she was given a custodial sentence.