2 DENY STEALING MEALIE MEAL

RABECCA BANDA writes@SunZambianTWO Lusaka men deny breaking into a house and stealing money, a laptop bag and a bag of mealie meal.This was when the matter came up for defence before magistrate Nsunge Chanda.Christopher Numayi and luckson Mbewe both of Ngombe compound are charged with house breaking and theft.Numayi said he went for work which was a night shift on December 22 2019.He said he was with his colleague Mbewe on the night shift.He said they used to make blocks and pavers at the company they used to work.He said the following morning, when they knocked, they both went to his house to drop his things.He said he gave Mbewe a seat outside and while he was inside the house, a group of people gathered at his home.The witness said he recognized a man who was part of the neighborhood watch while the other men were from the compound.He said the same man had warned him in the past that if anything ever happened in the neighborhood, he would be the one to blame.He said they were taken to the police and during their time in cells, the police officers did not tell him what they had done.He said he asked the officers to call the people who complained against them.He said they were taken to Chelstone police where they stayed three months in cells.He said he does not know anything about theft and he has nothing to do with the items that were brought to court as exhibits.Mbewe said they knocked off from work around 06:00 hours and went to Numayi’s as he wanted to drop his things.He said when they arrived , Numayi gave him a seat outside the house.He said a few minutes later , a mob gathered at the house and apprehended them.He said they were taken to the police and we were told that there is a person who saw us stealing.He said the officers told them to reveal were they had kept the items.