The Kaputa Magistrate Court has sentenced a 20 year old man for 12 months imprisonment with hard labor for theft after ‘manipulating’ a gaming machine popularly known as Bonanza.
Before Magistrate Boyd Nyambe was Philemon of Chashele village in Kaputa who was charged with one count of theft for stealing one kwacha coins amounting to 1,964 from the gaming machine belonging to a Chinese company.
Facts of the matter is that the convict is believed to have pierced a hole in the one kwacha coins which he tied to a copper wire string and was inserting it in the gaming machine with the view to steal from it.It was through this way that the convict was able to steal money from the gaming machine until the day he got caught.
The prosecution witness produced video evidence of the man demonstrating at the police office station how he was stealing from the machine. And in passing judgement Magistrate Nyambe said the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the man stole money from the Bonaza using illegal means and therefore finds him guilty.
Magistrate Nyambe therefore sentenced Philemon Musangu to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for theft, the sentence which will run from the time he was arrested on August 10, 2018.The Magistrate said despite the offender pleading in court for lenience as he however decided to mete out a 12 months sentence to serve as a lesson against any would be offenders.
Meanwhile, Musangu’s co-accused John Chishimba, a barman who was jointly charged jointly, has been set free after the prosecution failed to convince the court that the duo were working together to commit the offence. Musangu had alleged at the time of his arrest that he was working with Chishimba who opened the bar and closed him in so that he could steal from the Bonaza the time he was caught.
Magistrate Nyambe said the fact that other people who found Musangu stealing had entered the bar without actually opening it but through the grill door was an indication that the bar had loose security.The Magistrate said this therefore means that it was also possible for Musangu to have entered the bar using the same grill door and without been opened for locked inside.
Zambia’s criminal justice system is terrible!! Its the poor man on the street that suffers whilst politicians stealing millions go scot free.12 months is very harsh especially seeing how overcrowded and inhumane prisons are. Prison does not solve the problem but will perpetuate the cycle.They could have put him in community service for 12 months or asked to repay the money.Who is responsible for these laws?
Fate – coins added to 1964, we know the significance of that date
So i would spare the poor thing any sentence of any kind
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Kikikiki umwaiche Philemon is smart. Why jail him, instead of employ him at ACC to get all those your Anti-corruption failed to arrest at ZamPost.
On the surface this might appear comical but when you go in deeper and look at what this punishment will entail its actually a terrible sentence for the poor chap. I fail to understand why the justice system up to now has not been reformed to allow for community service for such minor crimes. The traditional system would allow the guilty party to clean the surroundings in the village and to perform some other duties. Here we adopt a system which we fail to manage either because we have sadistic elements in each govt since independence or we are just dull to realise one day the same elements in govt will one day also visit these concentration camps. Sad State of affairs!
HH should be among them. And Charmaine, an accomplice to murder too.
The elephant in the room here is the prison congestion. Do you see how these prisoners are packed in a small space like sardines? This is unacceptable. The prison system in Zambia needs to be overhauled. This is not normal at all. How can you pack people like that? Can you imagine if one happens to have a deadly contagious disease. Come on Lungu, do something about this. Remember if you keep stealing the nation’s resources you’ll end up there too. So it’s wise for you to start making prison reforms now. The money you PF have stolen could have been used to expand these prisons to create space, instead of keeping prisoners like this. This is inhumane and a violation of human rights. All you PF leadership need to be thrown in there for a week, so you can experience how it feels…
(Continued) Maybe then you can bring about reforms. Shame on you.
pliz don’t show me that picture of a cell I will faint kikikikiki
Whilst at it , when are you going to jail the corrupt government officials who have reduced Zambia to a rubble
Where is Ka Tayali ? He hasnt commented on this .May be he is busy collecting money from PF isha makondomu before using ama ule .
Judgement is not passed using one’s heart (emotions) as seen on this blog. If an offender is found guilty of an offence beyond reasonable doubt, the Penal Code will be used to mete out judgement based on the allocated minimum to the maximum for the offence.
Meanwhile Nevers Mumba who misappropriated hundred of thousands dollars walks away to enjoy the sun!!
Just HH who misappropriated Thousands by seating on a Committee that he was doing an Inside Trade on. He must bring back the money from Panama. He is a money laundering crook and Thief like everyone else. WHY ARE TRIBAL H-organisation selective? Let’s us condemn ’em all!
Poor boy!
Indeed justice is not for the poor. The sentence would have made sense were it to be slapped for armed robbery.
Let my people go.
Justice sysytem based on colonial days. The British prescribed stiffer punishment for crimes prevalent among the blacks, like stealing chicken, money from bwanas. On one hand crimes common among whites attracted lesser penalty. As 2020vision has put it legal system in Zambia needs reforms like yesterday. Politicians who are the equivalent of ‘umusungu wa musonko’ of colonial times are let scot free or pardoned after patronizing the powers that be.
How many years for the Chinese who shot a Zambian?
Coins from Chinese?? They should have just let the young man go scot free. The Chinese kill Zedians everyday
Comment:looking at how conjected Zambian cells are,I pity my bro anyway ther is time for everything
THE CHINESE ARE STEALING FROM US BY BUYING ALL THE CONTRACTS IN ZAMBIA. SET PHILEMON FREE
Suspended sentence was going to be better because he did not break in but only trying to see how the machine works.
Missing information:
Was he playing the game or not.
He wished his name was Pastor Nevers Mumba.
Theft is too much in zambia. There should be harsh sentences to deter would be criminals. The sentence is just right.