Two house maids of Mtendere Township have admitted to stealing seven blouses belonging to the former first lady, Christine Kaseba Sata, in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court.

And the Lusaka Magistrates’ court has entered a plea of not guilty for a 24-year-old garden boy, Zachariah Mulama, also of Mtendere Township, as he told the court that he did not know that the alcohol given to him by one was the maids was stolen.

In this matter, it is alleged that on July 20, 2018, Stella Michelo, 45, Eusibia Malambo, 27 and Zachariah Mulama, 24, all from Mtendere Township, in Lusaka, being employed by Christine Kaseba Sata as house maids and garden boy respectively, jointly and whilst acting together did steal seven blouses, one dress and one pack of Heineken altogether valued at K5,000.00, the property of the said employer.

When the matter came up for plea before Magistrate Nsunge Chanda, Tuesday, the two maids, Stella Michelo and Eusibia Malambo admitted to stealing the blouses.

Michelo admitted that she stole three blouses but claimed she didn’t know what led her to steal.

“I got three tops. I don’t know what came in my mind [because] she (the owner) did not owe me any money,” Michelo said.

And Malambo said she only stole four blouses.

She said she, together with Michelo, stole the said blouses while packing the clothes.

“I just got four tops. No (we did not tell each other that today we should steal). They told us to pack the clothes. We stole while packing. I don’t know what came in my mind. The owner did not allow us (neither) did she owe us anything,” Malambo said.

And Malama, the garden boy, said he was just called and given the alcohol.

He said he didn’t know that the alcohol was stolen.

“Yes, I got. I did not know anything since I was working outside. They told me to come. When I came, I found they had removed a bottle of (Heineken). That’s how they told me that get, you have been given. A2 (Malambo) is the one who gave me six bottles. I didn’t know [that it was stolen], I was just given,” Malama said.

The court, however, entered a plea of guilty for the first and second accused, and a plea of not guilty for the third accused.

The matter has since been adjourned to August 9, 2018, for sentencing and explanation of facts.

The two maids remain remanded in custody, but bail for the garden boy has been extended.