The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a Lusaka man to three years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing bales of clothes worth over K19,000.

Christopher Shula was charged with theft and had pleaded not guilty.

Particulars of the offence were that in January this year, Shula stole goods worth K19,050, property of Stella Manyinza of Libala.

Manyinza had told the court during trial that she sold assorted clothes at Kamwala market where she had a shop.

She said in January this year, she came back from South Africa where she had gone to order bails of clothes, adding that she booked a canter which carried her goods from Inter City to her shop in Kamwala market.

Manyinza said it was at this point that Shula, who had a wheelbarrow, arrived and offered to carry the bails of clothes to her shop.

She said when she went to collect money to pay the canter driver, Shula diverted with the wheelbarrow.

Manyinza added that she fainted when she was told that Shula fled with her goods.

“I searched for Shula but did not find him,” she said.

Shula was later on apprehended after he sold some of the stolen goods to a client who later alerted Manyinza.

And when the matter came up for judgement, Friday, Lusaka magistrate Felix Kaoma found Shula guilty, saying the prosecution had proved the case against him beyond reasonable doubt.

He sentenced him to 46 months imprisonment with hard labour.