RABECCA BANDA writes
A 17-year-old male juvenile of Lusaka has pleaded guilty of stealing a container of cooking oil worth K300 in the Lusaka Magistrates Court.
The juvenile admitted before Magistrate Nsunge Chanda that stole the cooking oil belonging to Muyaba Mulala.
Magistrate Chanda: Did you steal the cooking oil and why?
Juvenile: Yes I stole the cooking oil because I don’t know what I was doing.
Magistrate Chanda: Why did you steal?
Juvenile: It was my first time to steal.
Magistrate Chanda: What is the reason for you to steal even if it was your first time?
Juvenile: I wanted to sell the cooking oil.
Magistrate Chanda: Where is the cooking oil?
Juvenile: It is at the police station.
Magistrate Chanda: Where was the cooking oil recovered and with whom?
Juvenile: It was found at my house, I had taken it to my mother.
Magistrate Chanda: Why did you take the cooking oil to your mother?
Juvenile: My mother gave me a K300 to buy cooking oil for her, but I went to steal instead.
Magistrate Chanda: Why shouldn’t the court arrest your mother because you gave the container to her?
Juvenile: I don’t want my mother to be arrested because she is the breadwinner, if she goes to prison me and my siblings will suffer.
His mother said she was a businesswoman and gave the boy K300 to buy a container of cooking oil for her.
She said her son took a container of cooking home not knowing it was stolen.
She said she was divorced and pleaded for leniency from the court for her son.
The matter comes come up on October 9 pending an order.
