‘I didn’t know mission was to steal’

RABECCA BANDA Writes@SunzambianA MAN told a magistrate’s court in Lusaka how his friend innocently asked that he escort him without realising that it was to go and steal from someone’s house.This was in a matter before magistrate Felix Kaoma in which Abraham Juma, aged 23 of Chaisa and Albert Mbewe, aged 22, of SOS are accused of stealing property worth K10, 750 from Ms Mary Mulomo’s house.Juma said Mbewe found him at a friend’s workshop and asked what he was doing. Mbewe then asked him to accompany him to a house and he agreed.He said when they got there, Mbewe went inside the gate and came out with metal poles. He said they carried the poles and while at the gate, Mbewe’s sister arrived.He said Mbewe told him that his sister would be upset with him. Juma said Mbewe told him that if the sister asks, he should say he bought the poles.He said Mbewe’s sister asked what they were doing with the poles and he said he had bought them. He said Mbewe’s sister said she was going inside to confirm what he had said.Juma said Mbewe told him that they should leave and they left the poles and started walking. It was then that Mbewe’s sister shouted “thief” and a mob chased them.He said he was scared but did not run because he was not familiar with the place. He said he did not know the poles he was carrying were stolen.Juma said the mob started beating him and he was only rescued by the complainant. He said he was taken to the po-lice and later he asked the police to release him so that he could apprehend Mbewe because he was the person who took him to that house.Juma said a week later, he managed to find Mbewe and took him to the police with the help of others.Mbewe testified that he was cleaning the yard when he heard his sister shout “thief.”He said he went to open the date to check what was happening. He said he saw a mob and decided to go back and continue what he was doing.JUMA: Are you not my friend?MBEWE: No.JUMA: Of all the people why did I pick on you as the person who took me to that house?MBEWE: I don’t knowJUMA: How did I know your name?MBEWE: Maybe you heard someone calling me.JUMA: Did you not tell me that was your house?MBEWE: No.JUMA: Did you not ask me to help you carry the metal poles?MBEWE: I don’t know anything.