Luwingu hungry thief caged

—A 20-year-old man of Lundu village in chief Chabula’s area of Luwingu district in the Northern Province has been sentenced to four years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing five by 50kg bags of white maize meant to feed school going pupils at Chanika community school.

Before magistrate Davy Simfukwe was Steven Kaluba who was convicted for the offence of breaking into a building and committing a felony contrary to the Laws of Zambia.

The court heard that Kaluba, on April 22, 2013, did break and enter the storeroom of Chanika community school with intent to steal and stole five by 50kg bags of white maize valued at KR325 the property of the said school.

Mr Simfukwe found the accused guilty for the offence charged and convicted him accordingly.

In mitigation, Kaluba pleaded for lenience, saying he did it out of hunger and poverty.

The magistrate said the conduct of Steven was uncalled for especially that the property he stole was meant for vulnerable children using tax payers’ money, adding that the convict deserved to be punished in order to deter other would be offenders doing the same acts.

“The offence you did has a custodial sentence of seven years with hard labour. Now that you did not waste time and being the first offender you deserve leniency,” magistrate Simfukwe said.

He then sentenced the convict to 48 months imprisonment with hard labour with effective of April 24, 2013.