Court jails Lusaka businessman five years for stealing motor vehicle valued at K100,000

A Lusaka business man has been sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour by the Lusaka Magistrate Court for stealing a motor vehicle worth K100,000, the property of Refuel Petroleum Corporation Limited.

Sydney Mambwe, 42, of Kabwata pleaded not guilty to theft of motor vehicle contrary to Section 281A of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Mambwe, was alleged to have stolen a motor vehicle as he had more than one case in different courtrooms.

Facts of the matter stated that the convict while jointly charged stole a motor vehicle, namely Toyota Axio with registration number BAH 106ZM which was parked at the resident of a complainant in Silverest, Chongwe.

It was alleged that around 20:00 hours, a maid discovered that the gate was open and there was no vehicle, after which she informed her boss who later reported the matter to the police.

The anti-crime squad department instituted some investigations and alerted other police posts to track the missing vehicle.

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The vehicle was then intercepted at a check point between Luanshya and Kitwe and the occupants were apprehended.

When rendering judgement, magistrate Betty Malupenga said the prosecution team led by Robert Malama proved the case beyond reasonable doubt to warrant the accused to be put on defence.

The court found Mambwe guilty and convicted him accordingly, and in mitigation, through his lawyer begged the court to have mercy on him, stating that he was a family man and had been sick since the time he was involved in a road traffic accident.

He also begged the court, saying that he had a condition and was bound on a wheelchair.

Magistrate Malupenga, however, sentenced him to five years imprisonment with hard labour to deter would-be offenders.

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