The Magistrate Court in Kasama has sentenced a 22-year-old man of Musenga Township in Kasama District to five years imprisonment with hard labour for burglary.
Before Magistrate Chapson Silwimba was Samuel Bwalya, who was facing one count of burglary contrary to Section 303(a) of the Penal Code of the Laws of Zambia.
The media reports that this was in a matter that came up for presentation of facts.
Facts before the courts were that on April 6, 2026, the convicted, jointly and whilst acting with other unknown people did break into a building belonging to Davies Chibwe.
The court heard that around 03:00 hours, Mr. Chibwe, the complainant, was awakened by noise from a security guard who was chasing suspected thieves.
Among them was the convict who had stolen a television set from the bar valued at K8,500, which was later recovered, though it had been extensively damaged.
Investigations in the matter revealed that entry and exit were made through a damaged door.
In mitigation, the convict pleaded for maximum leniency, stating that he would not repeat the offense.
He also submitted that his maize field would go to waste if he was sent to prison.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Silwimba informed the accused that the offense committed was a felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment.
Magistrate Silwimba noted that such an offense had become rampant in the district warranting a stiffer punishment.
He further observed that the convict broke into the building at a time when people were asleep, posing a danger to society.
The magistrate added that the offense committed did not reflect the accused’s age, and advised the convict to do productive things.
“To deter others from committing similar offenses, including your colleagues who are still on the run, I will send a signal by giving you a harsher punishment,” Magistrate Silwimba said.
He then sentenced Mr Bwalya to five years imprisonment with hard labour.
