Chisamba Subordinate Court has sentenced a 58-year-old man to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing eleven herds of cattle valued at K132,000.00.
Magistrate Litungi Litungi convicted Sunny Kasempa of Chief Chamuka’s area for stock theft but acquitted his 39-year-old co-accused, Carlos Chileshe, after finding insufficient evidence linking him to the offence.
The court heard that between October 1, 2025 and December 5, 2025, the two allegedly stole ten oxen and one cow belonging to Dana Ngululu Phiri.
During the trial, four prosecution witnesses testified that eleven herds of cattle had gone missing from Phiri’s farm, which had 179 herds.
The court further heard that one of the missing animals was found among the livestock belonging to Humphrey Siachikoli, who told the farm manager, Manson Shamakamba, that he had bought it from Kasempa for K6,800.00.
Another ox was recovered from Kasempa’s kraal and identified by its 7B7N brand mark.
In his defence, Kasempa who called two witnesses told the court that he had bought the two animals from Chileshe, while Chileshe maintained that he had only been hired to help move the animals to Kasempa’s kraal.
“In early October,2025, I was called by Mr Kasempa to meet him at Katete area and upon our meeting, he told me that his son from Kabwe had sent him two cattle which were tied to a tree,” Mr Chileshe said.
However, Magistrate Litungi found Kasempa guilty of stock theft but acquitted Chileshe, ruling that there was no evidence linking him to the offence.
In mitigation, Kasempa asked the court for leniency, saying he was married with eight children, four of whom were in school, and was also responsible for caring for his grandchildren.
He further told the court that his wife had suffered a stroke following his arrest.
Kasempa had previously absconded court after being granted K50,000.00 bail in his own recognisance.
He was later apprehended by his sureties after the court issued a warrant of arrest.
On September 24, 2026, Magistrate Litungi revoked his bail and ordered him to pay K50,000.00 or serve nine months’ simple imprisonment.
“The punishment for theft of stock in the case of a first offender is imprisonment for a term of not less than five years but not exceeding 15 years. However, I have taken into account your factors,” Magistrate Litungi said.
Magistrate Litungi sentenced Kasempa, who is already serving a nine months’ simple imprisonment for jumping bail, to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour, to take effect after he completes his current sentence.
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