Itezhi-Tezhi Magistrate, Mugala Chalwe has sentenced a 25 year old man of Itezhi Tezhi to 12 months imprisonment for stealing a radio cassette.
This is a matter in which Kendrick Maanzula (25) of Basanga area in Chief Musungwa’s chiefdom in Itezhi Tezhi district in Southern Province was charged with burglary and theft contrary to the penal code cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the case were that on January 10, 2022, in the Itezhi-Tezhi district of Southern Province, Maanzula broke into the dwelling house of Alfred Katota and stole a radio cassette.
When the matter came up for plea before court, Maanzula said he understood the charge and admitted it.
According to facts , the complainant ,Alfred Katota on 21 February ,2022 at 21:00 hours was in Itezhi tezhi town when he received a phone call that his radio cassette valued at K1,400 had been stolen .
Katota went back to Basanga where he conducted a search and when he could not find his radio cassette he reported the matter to Itezhi Tezhi Police station who instituted investigation that led to the recovery of the radio cassette from Maanzula’s house.
Police later charged and arrested Maanzula for the subject offence.
State prosecution team argued that Maanzula had no justification for breaking into Katota’s house and stealing the radio cassette and that Maanzula had intention of permanently depriving the owner of the radio cassette.
In mitigation Maanzula asked for leniency stating that he was married with two children and looking after 10 siblings and blind grandmother.
In imposing a sentence, magistrate Chalwe said the court took note that he was a first offender and readily admitted the charge without wasting court’s time.
Magistrate Chalwe however said the offence he committed was a serious one, especially that it was done at night around 20:00 hours.
Magistrate Chalwe then imposed a 12 months’ imprisonment.
She further informed Maanzula that he had a right to appeal to higher court if he was not satisfied with the sentence.
Especially that he stole it at 20hrs. I’m just wondering if he stole it at 12hrs what the sentence was going to be.
Do they still use RADIO-CASSETTE in Zed?
#2 I’m in Zambia and I haven’t seen anyone using a radio cassette for more than ten years. Maybe in rural areas it’s still fashionable.
Wondering if indeed the radio casset was still in use or was in the archives? Ndimba ndimba X-bass
In the mean while Faith Musonda, after being implicated in handling stolen property or whatever the offence, goes scot free and continues roaming the streets of mother Zambia. “true animal farm”. I rest my case.
Community service would have been the most appropriate if you asked me. The new dawn gov is on record to want to decongest our penal system. Therefore, imaginative sunctions need to be exercised as much as possible surely. Why send someone to a penal colony when they could just be given strocks of the cane and made to do some work some where!!…But hay, you send them to a penal colony. very retrogressive indeed.
I rest my case
same sentence as people who steal billions in govt.
Was it the player or was it the cartridge?
Where is Mr. Binoculars and the PF Whinners? I want to see them staging their protests kaili, 12 months is just too harsh for stealing “radio cassette” and especially that it was done at night around 20:00 hours.
A radio cassette is the cartridge. He stole a radio cassette player. Also, this charge was specifically for breaking and entering. That’s what makes the crime serious. This could have been reported better.