Choma Magistrate convicts mobile money thief

MULENGA MUSONDA writes The Choma Magistrates Court has convicted a 22 years old youth who was in the habit of stealing money from Mobile Money Accounts of unsuspecting people. Motive Simaleke was convicted in two counts of Theft involving over K4,700 contrary to the Laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence in count one are that Simaleke on August 10 stole K4,600 the property of Prisca Kakanda. In the second count, he admitted to stealing K150 the property of Barbara Mutale on August 9 in Choma. When matter came up for Facts before Resident Magistrate Ethel Phiri, Public Prosecutor Dexter Kwalela stated that the accused perdon went to Mbabala area in the name of doing business and rented a room at Kakanda’s homestead pegged at K250. The accused requested that he pays through Mobile money to which she accepted , immediately after she confirmed receipt of the money into her account, Simaleke asked for her phone so he could save his number for easy communication. Later when Kakanda tried to check her balance, she was shocked to note that her account which had close to K5,000 had been wiped clean . Simaleke who used the same trick to steal from Mutale was not lucky this time, he was apprehended and taken to Police where he was charged and arrested. Despite pleading for lenience, Magistrate Phiri sentenced Simaleke to 18 months imprisonment in count one and 6 months in the second count both with hard labour. The sentences are effective date of arrest and will run concurrently. The Sun