I stole a wheelbarrow&shovel, I am the sole breadwinner

THE Ndola Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 32-year-old man of Twapya to 10 months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a wheelbarrow and shovel worth about K700.
Magistrate Eston Kafunyi on Tuesday convicted Mwamba Kataya, unemployed, of house number 5, Teachers Compound in Old Twapya, after he pleaded guilty to theft.
The offence is contrary to section 272, Cap 87, of the Laws of Zambia.
“On your own free confession to the offence, I find you guilty as charged and I hereby convict you accordingly. I have noted that you are a first offender, who readily pleaded guilty to the charge, but the owner has lost out on his property. I sentence you to 10 months imprisonment with hard labour with effect from the date you were arrested,” Mr Kafunyi said.
Particulars are that on February 12, this year, in Ndola, Kataya did steal a shovel and wheelbarrow, altogether valued at K755, the property of Richard Mwape.
In mitigation, Kataya prayed to the court for leniency, saying he was remorseful for his actions and that he was the sole breadwinner of his family.
Public prosecutor Machila Mweene told the court that the accused had been engaged by the complainant to do some manual work at his plot.
The court heard that Mr Mwape provided a shovel and a wheelbarrow as being tools that the accused would use for cleaning the yard.
However, Kataya disappeared with the tools.
The matter was reported to Masala Police Post, after which the accused was arrested. He admitted having stolen the tools, but nothing was recovered.

ZambiaDailyMail