Solwezi Cellphone Robbers Sentenced To 30 yrs

By NANCY SIAME
THE Ndola High Court has sentenced two men of Solwezi to 30 years imprisonment each while their juvenile accomplice has been handed six months’ probation for stealing a cell phone and more than K5,000 from a businessman.
Kitwe High Court Judge Isaac Chali sitting in Ndola on Monday, convicted Sydney Chizahu, 19, a driver, Joe Kajoba, 21, a barman and a 16-year-old juvenile who is a cigarette vendor after he found them guilty of aggravated robbery.
The offence is contrary to section to section 294(1) of the Penal Code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
“I have not found any grounds for suspecting that the witnesses had falsely implicated any of the accused,” Mr Justice Chali said.
Particulars of the offence are that the three on May 20 last year in Solwezi jointly and whilst acting together robbed Benson Njapau of a cell phone and cash, altogether valued at K5,740 using violence.
During trial, Njapau told the court that on the material day, he was selling beans at Solwezi bus station when he received a telephone call from his friend of Congolese nationality from whom he wanted to buy beans.
Mr Njapau told the court that his friend bought the beans and he went to Green bar with his younger brother where they went to have some drinks.
He said whilst there, his brother requested the company of two women to join them and a companion known as Bertha.
Mr Njapau said Bertha told him that she was accommodated at Candle Light guest house where the two decided to spend the night.
“Whilst there, I excused myself to go to the bathroom and that is where I met the accused who attacked me and got away with my phone and money,” Njapau said.
He said that while he was being beaten by the accused, Bertha was watching the incident and after his battering was over, the two men and Bertha fled the scene.
Mr Njapau said he, however, got hold of Bertha whom he took to the police station.
He told the court that at the police station, Bertha confessed to knowing the two man and further said she was working with them.
In defence, all the accused denied knowing anything about the incident.
In mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency saying they were youthful and were sorry for their actions.
In passing sentence, Judge Chali urged the convicts to find something useful to do with their lives other than stealing from people who worked hard for their money.
He also noted that the money and the phone were never recovered.
“And to add salt to the wound, the complainant was badly beaten before his items were stolen,” he said.
Justice Chali told the juvenile that he had accepted the social welfare report to put him on six months’ probation but warned that he would not hesitate to review it if he involved himself in any other criminal activities.