By MULENGA MUSONDA
THE Choma Magistrates Court has sentenced a 30-yearold bricklayer to nine months imprisonment for stealing a bicycle valued at nearly K2,000.
This was in a matter in which Liswaniso Sikota pleaded guilty to one count of theft contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Sikota on April 1st, 2020 in Choma’s Mwapona Township stole 1 Geo-Cross Bicycle valued at K1,900 the property of Adolf Siachilemba.
When he appeared for plea before Magistrate Muyambango Munukayumbwa on Wednesday morning, he willingly admitted the offence.
Court: Have you heard the charge read against you?
Sikota: Yes
Court: How do you plead?
Sikota: Guilty
Court: Did you take the said Bicycle?
Sikota: Yes
Court: Did the owner allow you?
Sikota: No
Court: Did you have any claim of right?
Sikota: No
Court: What did you want to do with the Bicycle?
Sikota: I wanted to sell it and the money realisedi buy food for my child.
The Court went ahead and recorded a plea of guilty in respect to the accused person and allowed the state to dictate the facts.
According to the facts dictated by Public Prosecutor Coillard Sikwalulwa, the complainant realised that his bicycle that he had parked outside his house was missing when he decided to send his dependant to buy relish from the market.
The accused was later apprehended the same day after being spotted by the complainant’s nephew riding the stolen bicycle in the same Township.
Despite pleading for lenience and vowing not to repeat his actions, Magistrate Munukayumbwa sentenced Sikota to 9 months imprisonment with hard labour to deter would be offenders.
The sentence will run from April 6 2020.
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