FEMALE PHONE BOOTH OPERATOR WHO STOLE K70,000 AND USED IT TO BET SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR SIX MONTHS
A BOOTH teller who recently pleaded guilty to stealing K70, 000 from her employer and used part of the money to bet has been sentenced to one year and six months simple imprisonment.
Dainess Mulenga, 19, had earlier this morning pleaded with the court to have mercy and give her a suspended sentence so that she can pay back the money but her plea yielded nothing.
Magistrates Mutinta Mwenya said she needed to punish Mulenga especially that cases of booth tellers stealing from their employers are rife in Lusaka.
Magistrate Mutinta said the court needed to mete out stiff punishments which will deter would be offenders.
“I sentence you to one year and six months simple imprisonment, you have the right ro appeal within 14 dayas,” the court ordered.
Mulenga was charged with theft by servant.
On January 21, 2023, Mulenga , being employed by Chishala Chandwe as a booth teller,stole K77, 275, cash, the property of her employer.
On Tuesday last week, Mulenga appeared before Lusaka magistrate Mutinta Mwenya for plea and admitted committing the offence.
Asked why she stole the money, Mulenga explained that she initially had a shortage of K20, 000 and did not inform her employer about the development.
Mulenga told the court that she then got part of her employer’s money and opened a 1xBet account so that she could win and recover the missing K20, 000.
“I started betting using K57, 000 but I lost, meaning in total, the shortage was now over K70, 000,” she explained.