Man gets 18 months over cigarettes

A 27-Year-old man of chief Kaingu’s chiefdom in Itezhi-tezhi district has been slapped with an 18 month jail sentence for failing to pay for 12 cigarettes that he obtained from a makeshift shop.

Before Namwala Magistrates Munalula Mubita was Prosper Munyumbwe who was charged with the offence of obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretences, contrary to Cap 301 Section One of the Laws of Zambia.

Facts of the matter were that on August 11, 2009 the complainant, a Mr Moboola, sent his 11-year-old nephew to sell his cigarettes in a makeshift shop but when he went to check on him, the nephew told him that Munyumbwe had taken 12 sticks of consulate cigarettes on pretense that he had no change and that he would pay later.

The court also heard that Munyumbwe was later found stealing 12 packets of consulate cigarettes at the same make shift shop prompting the owner to apprehend and take him to police where he was arrested and detained.

Munyumbwe pleaded guilty.