Thieving pupil gets suspended sentence

By MULENGA MUSONDATHE Choma Magistrates court has sentenced two men among them a Grade 9 pupil to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for breaking into a shop.In this matter Lawrence Chilwalo ,22, and Milimo Muzyamba ,20, a Grade nine pupil of a named School stood charged with Breaking into a Building and Committing a felony therein.Particulars of the offence are that the two jointly and whilst acting together broke into Innocent Hachisengele’s shop and stole 1×20 litres of Diesel, 1 Radio, and 1 Car Battery all valued at K1,600 the property of the named Hachisengele.The break-in happened on October 5 in Choma District of Southern Province.When the two appeared for plea before Court,they pleaded guilty to the offence after it was read to them through Munika Mwananshiku the Court Interpreter in Tonga, the language they both understood better.According to the facts dictated by Senior Public Prosecutor Alex Syulikwa , the two were apprehended after Milimo was found with the radio and battery in his house by the complainant.In mitigation, the two pleaded for maximum lenience with Milimo appealing that he be given a second chance as he was in an examination class.Magistrate Muyambango Munukayumbwa sentenced the two to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour, but suspended the whole sentence in which they should not commit a similar.