Pistol thief jailed one year

By MULENGA MUSONDA THE Choma Magistrates Court has sentenced a businessman to two years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a firearm among other sensitive items valued at over K17, 000. In this case Bright Sikazwa of Choma’s Mwapona Township was charged with theft from a motor vehicle contrary to sections 276(c) of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence are that Sikazwa stole a pistol, external hard drive, a Laptop, four cell phones, car keys, a torch, Laptop bag and a pair of gloves all valued at K17, 250 from a Mitsubishi Canter, the property of Bobby Wilfred Muzyamba. The theft occurred on April 16, 2020 in Choma after Mr Muzyamba parked his vehicle home around 01:00 leaving the items in the vehicle.  He found that the car had been tampered with and the mentioned items stolen when he woke up. Sikazwa was apprehended after word went round that he was seen with some of the stolen items which were later recovered in his bedroom despite claiming to have just bought them. When the matter came up for judgment, Principal Resident Magistrate Idah Mupemo in convicting Sikazwa found it shocking and unconvincing that sensitive items such as a firearm were bought by the accused person without a witness or documents signed. “The fact that he packed it (pistol), till it was recovered suggests that he was hiding it,” noted the magistrate.