Mwanza First Grade Magistrate Court on Monday convicted and sentenced a 25-year-old Chabby Zinyezi to 4 years 6 months’ imprisonment with hard labour for house breaking and theft of a food warmer, laptop bag and kitchen utensils.
The court heard through state prosecutor, Sergeant Arnold Phiri that on January 23 this year, Zinyezi broke into Meria Chiwanda’s house at Mchotseni Village in the district where he stole the items.
According to Mwanza Police Station Investigator, Constable, Ivy Mwalabu, the convict was caught red handed and an arrest was made right away.
Appearing before the court on Monday, Zonyezi pleaded not guilty to the two charges laid against him which prompted the state to parade five witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty.
In mitigation, the convict prayed for lenience saying he was young. But Magistrate Gladstone Chilundu disregarded his plea observing that the convict is a habitual criminal who deserves a custodial sentence.
He therefore sentenced him to a jail term of 42 months for house breaking and 12 months for theft.
The two sentences are expected to run concurrently, according to Magistrate Chilundu.
Zinyezi comes from Kunkhoma Village at Traditional Authority Nthache in Mwanza.
