Pupil jailed 10 months with hard labour for stealing a phone

RABECCA BANDA writes@SunZambianA GRADE 10 pupil has been jailed 12 months for stealing a phone worth K 1,480.Appearing at the Lusaka magistrates court before magistrate Nsunge Chanda was Promise Phiri, 19 accused of stealing Maiko Soko’s cell phone on September 25, 2020.Facts before the court were that Phiri went into Mr. Soko’s shop and immediately he left, Mr Soko discovered the phone was missing.He went outside and decided to follow Phiri as he was the last customer to enter the shop.Mr. Soko called for help form the public because Phiri had started running and they helped him apprehend Phiri.Magistrate: Why did you steal the phone?Phiri: The phone was on the table and there was no one, I got it and started using it.Magistrate: Can you go into someone’s house and get a phone without their permission? Don’t you know that’s stealing?Phiri: I did not know and I made a mistake getting the phone. I don’t know what influenced me.Phiri explained that when he sawt the phone and there was no owner, he got it and started using it.He said he was forced to run away because Mr. Soko was coming towards him with force.Phiri asked for leniency saying he is a grade 10 pupil and would like to continue with his education.He said it was unfortunate he found himself in such a situation as it was not his intention to steal.Magistrate Chanda said Phiri had full understanding of what he was doing and has no one to blame but himself for his actions.The court jailed Phiri 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.