By MWILA NTAMBI
THE Kitwe Magistrate’s Court has placed a 16-year-old boy of Wusakile township in Kitwe on one-year probation for vandalising Zamtel cables.
Kitwe High Court judge Chilombo Phiri imposed the probation on the boy after probation officer Frank Mukula presented a social welfare report.
The boy was facing one count of vandalism of property necessary for the provision of a service
Particulars of the offence are that the boy, on March 30 this year in Kitwe, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown, vandalised a Zamtel cable worth K3,497.
The boy pleaded guilty.
Facts before the court read out by senior State advocate Katongo Waluzimba are that on the night of March 30 this year, security guards patrolling an area in Kitwe’s Nkana West saw five people tampering with Zamtel cables.
The security guards gave chase and apprehended the boy while the rest managed to run away.
Mr Waluzimba said the cables were essential for communication, which is a necessary service.
And Mr Mukula submitted in his social welfare report that the court should consider placing the boy on probation so that he could be counselled.
Mr Mukula said the boy is remorseful and that he has learnt a lesson.
“He is a first offender and he is not a problematic child. There is a distinction between an incidental delinquent and professional criminal behaviour,” Mr Mukula said.
He said the boy is a grade nine pupil who should be given an opportunity to realise his short-term and long-term goals.
Mrs Justice Phiri ordered that the boy be placed on one-year probation in accordance with the recommendation of the social welfare report.