The Luwingu Subordinate Court has sentenced a 21-year-old man to three years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a goat.
Derrick Mulenga 21 of Kondamu village in Chief Chitoshi’s area in Lunte district was convicted after he pleaded guilty to the offence of stock theft.
Derrick appeared before Luwingu Resident Magistrate Maybin Kapaya after being charged with one count of stock theft contrary to section 282 (B) (1) (a) as amended number 20 of 2023 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that on March 1st, 2024, Derrick stole a goat belonging to Bernard Mulenga of the same village.
It is alleged that after stealing the goat, he sold it to Theresa Mwamba who later slaughtered and sold the carcass to unsuspecting customers during the Munanda mobile market.
Bernard told the court that on March 1st 2024, he secured his animals before going to bed but discovered one was missing the following day.
The message of the missing goat was announced in the entire village.
He was told that the goat was seen with Derrick who had sold it to Theresa Mwamba.
This is when he made up his mind and reported the matter to the police station.
Police arrested and charged him with one count of stock theft contrary to the laws of Zambia but when Resident Magistrate read the charge to him, Derrick pleaded guilty.
And when asked why he committed the crime, Derrick said he wanted to sell and raise money to buy food stuff.
Resident Magistrate Kapaya said he was happy that the convict did not waste the court’s time but said the case of stock theft carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment with hard labour.
In his mitigation, Derrick appealed to the Resident Magistrate to exercise lenience because both parents died and he was responsible for keeping his siblings.
He further explained that he learnt that stealing is bad during the time he was in remand prison stating he needed to work extra hard.
Magistrate Kapaya said the accused deserved lenience as he was a first offender who readily admitted to the charge.
He however said it is the duty of the courts to impose stiffer penalties to deter offenders by punishing people like him.
Resident Magistrate Kapaya further said that offences of goat theft were rampant in Luwingu and other surrounding districts.
He sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour effective March 2nd 2024.
