The Siavonga magistrate’s court has sentence a 33 year old man to 24 months imprisonment with hard labor for stealing a goat.
Before magistrate Bathlomeo Kaongo in court today was Simon Mwiinga a fisherman of Chionga village in Siavonga district who stood charged with one count of stock theft.
Facts before court were that on 21st June, 2013 Mwiinga did steal a goat valued at K 12O which belongs to Filly Malambo of the same village contrary to section 271 chapter 8 of the laws of Zambia.
The court heard that on said date in the morning, Malambo released his goats from the kraal to go for feeding in the bush and that later around 14 hours Malambo received information from members of the public within the village that they had seen a man in the bush chasing the goats.
Malambo also received information that a man who looked exactly like Mwiinga was seen selling a goat.
It was also heard in the court that Malambo then quickly checked his goats and discovered one goat was missing.
Malambo therefore reported about the missing goat to the neighbourhood watch who followed up the matter and later arrested Mwiinga for questioning.
During the neighbourhood watch investigations, it was found that Mwiinga stole the goat and sold it to a Lusaka business man who was buying goats in the area.
Mwiiinga was then taken to Siavonga police where he was interviewed under warn and caution statement and gave a free and voluntary reply admitting the charge.
In mitigation Mwiinga asked for courts leniency saying he stole a goat by mistake because it resembled his goat.
When passing judgement Magistrate Kaongo said the convict was a first offender and by law he was entitled to leniency although the offence committed was serious and carries 3 years of imprisonment.
“I therefore sentence him to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour effect from the day of arrest” said magistrate Kaongo.
big crime( 3+ billions) =6 months hard labour
small crime( a goat)= 24 months
not fair
Unfair verdict
Zambia…. A Failed state!!!!
What qualifications are needed to be a magistrate court judge apart from stupidity?
Poverty and hunger are crimes!!Insala ilalega ukwiba!!
Thank God he is not Bemba otherwise it could have had triggered the tribalism in bloggers like Ndobo.24 months is too much for a simple crime.This ain`t too good.
exactly my thoughts…
anyway let the chap sart playing with the judiciary the ‘kalumba’ way.
appeal after appeal and by the time the supreme court passes judgement, he would have served the entire sentence outside prison.
this is zambia.
why are thanking God?…stealing is a common negative behivour (negative normal) in any human grouping…stealing is not a problem… too much stealing like kapoko is a problem
The only sad party about this story is that the mapatizya wild dog (mwiinga) was not even given bail like kapoko before jailling him
@sobelenge
am not a triblist…. i stand for equality for all tribes… all tribes should be equal if zambia is to be a country..
If you are looking for triblist.. go to nkwazi house at state house,, there is an angry man with Bisa wrinkles on his face beating up innocents journalist, wives,, even children!!!
24 months! too much !
Ukutemwa imichopo!
Ati Michopo Michopo
Nubian Princess, if you were a goat, i would also steal you.
Solola Bye!
deleted
simple cases ba court bailanga and 24 months bakaka a poverty stricken chap. Why not give him benefit of doubt as he claims he had mistaken it for his goat. Lets be fair the way we handle cases.There are cases involving billions which are really serious and are still pending and will posibly just die out and a simple case you say its a serious offence. Too bad for our country ubu ni bumbuli ba magistrate court.
Where do these law practitioners in Zambia get their trg.??????
What a shame! He goes in for stealing a got (worth K120) when pple who have robbed the nation of billions are free on the streets… no need to mention names.
I meant a ‘goat’.
this perpetrator should have just been issued with a suspended sentence and a fine. This does not warrant a 2 year prison term. And how about the guy that buried 2 billion kwacha?
Mind you, a thief is a thief, some1 should be dettered b4 he steals more.
This is unfair. Just ka mbuzi for 24 months. No value added…