Man Gets 9 Months in Prison for Stealing a Blanket

In Zambia, a 31-year-old man is to spend nine months in prison for stealing a blanket valued at K 600 to keep himself from dying of cold.

Christopher Bwembya told Magistrate Congo Musonda on Wednesday, 24^th July, 2019 that he stole the blanket from Theresa Mwewa because what he has was not warm enough to help him survive the July cold.

According to evidence presented in court, the theft occurred on 15^th July, 2019. The blanket was among several other items of bedding left on the laundry line by Ms Mwewa to dry.

She told the court that she realised after a while that one of the blankets was missing and decided to step outside the yard to see if anyone might have taken it.

She saw a man walking away with a blue plastic bag and a sack. She said she decided to follow the man. The man ran when he noticed that he was being trailed, leaving the sack behind, inside it was the missing blanket.

Bwembya was later caught and taken to Ndeke Village Police, where he was charged.

In mitigation Bwembya told the court that he stole the blanket because what he had was not enough to keep him warm during the cold nights and the people he had worked for had not paid him.