ZESCO employees jailed for stealing cable

 

THE Livingstone Magistrate's court has sentenced three Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) employees for stealing ZESCO cables to three years imprisonment with hard labour.

This is in a case Sianga Sianga, 40, Lawson Chimbwali, 37, and Likando Siyauma, 36, of house numbers, 538 Nahumba road, 2613/4533 Dambwa North and Libuyu Extension respectively in Livingstone, all are charged with theft by public servant.

On the date between March, 1 and July, 30, 2020 in Livingstone, being public servants of ZESCO as an Technologist, Electrical Technician and
linesman respectively jointly and whilst acting together did steal 333.6 metres of bare copper conductor valued at K133,051 which came into their possession by virtue of their employment, the property of the ZESCO.

In sentencing the trio, chief resident magistrate Exnobert Zulu said they should have thought about their families before committing this offense.

Magistrate Zulu said the loss of their jobs is as a result of them as being greedy.

“I know that you stole from the company that strives to give a service to the people.

The company suffers because of people who are greedy like you,” he said.

Magistrate Zulu said it spends a lot of money in employing people who are going to provide security to installations.

He said the trio must learn that being greedy does not pay.

Magistrate Zulu said in mitigation there was plea of longer sentences, it is not the courts that make the sentences but parliament, the court’s duty is to impose them.

He said there is need to deter people that would want to commit such offenses and also protect state installations.

Magistrate Zulu said it is for this reason that the legislature put a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.

“Yes I agree that they are first offenders, public service needs people who will respect the law.

After accessing the evidence, I hereby sentence each one of you to 36 months imprisonment with hard labour,” he said.

Magistrate Zulu said the trio are at liberty to appeal within 14 days.

“Since you feel that you desire free things. Hope you will become better citizens,” he said.

Magistrate Zulu said the cables are fortified to the state and the truck is returned to the rightful owner.

In mitigation, the trio’s lawyers asked for leniency and asked the court not to impose a longer sentence.

End

 

Fake COVID 19 certificates for international travellers

THE Livingstone magistrate's court has a-45-year hospital porter to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour for making three fake COVID-19 certificates for international travellers.
This is in case Moses Kambole of house number 27 Nakatindi Township, Livingstone, was charged with three counts of making a false documents by the police, however the charges were substituted by the court to forgery.
This was after the court analysed the ingredients of the case.

On February 15 and 16 this year in Livingstone, Kambole with the intention to defraud he made a forged three medical certificates for international travel, with serial numbers 05-0131944, 05-0131945 and 05-0151956, they were purporting to show that it was issued by ministry of health when in fact not.
And in sentencing Kambole, chief resident magistrate Exnobert Zulu said Kambole’s conduct is unacceptable as COVID 19 was deadly disease and he put a lot of people at risk of infections by forging the certificates because of greed.

He said his actions were against the government’s efforts of trying to save lives through its measures.

“It is unthinkable to realise that they are people who want to profit over COVID 19 and it is shocking.

It is difficult to think that they can people who would want put others at risk,” he said.

He said courts cannot condone such acts and people like him should learn to be responsible.

“You need to love mankind, even if you wanted to an income, you should not have resorted to such acts,” he said.

He said it is for this reason that he needs some time to reflect in prison.

“We need to create a safe environment, this offense makes you liable to three years imprisonment,” he said.

He said the legislatures even thought people like him would commit such offenses of endangering the lives of other people.

“You are entitled to leniency since you are a first offender. I hereby sentence you to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour. And the sentences will run concurrently, he said.

He said he is hopeful that 24 months would help him to reflect on his actions.

In mitigation through Legal Aid Board lawyer, Newton Tembo asked the court to leniency and was at the mercy of the court.

Mr Tembo said he is father of 10 children and a bread winner for the family.

And evidence before court is that a Botswana national only identified as John wanted COVID 19 certificates to travel back to his country.

He approached Kelvin Kabale, who linked with Kambole.

Kambole asked for a payment and promised to deliver the certificates.

The certificates were intercepted at Kazungula border control because the number for the southern province was nine and not five.

Police investigated the matter with the help of the ministry of health.

End