By YVONNE CHATE –
THE Ndola magistrate’s court has found a 72-year-old man with a case to answer for obtaining money by false pretences after he sold a plot to two people.
John Mbeye appeared before magistrate Bubala Sikalunda, for selling a plot in Mitengo area for K22, 000 to two people.
Mbeye, a security guard of house number CH 1529 Chifubu in Ndola, was facing one count of obtaining money by false pretences.
It is alleged that on September 16, 2012, Mbeye approached Geoffrey Mumba 28, of house number CH 1706 in Chifubu to buy a plot that he was selling at number 114 in Milengo for K22, 000.
Mr Mumba bought the plot and when he started building a structure at the same plot he found that another man had already started building a house there.
He later learnt that the said plot had already been sold to another man by the time he was buying the plot after which Mbeye was asked to pay back the money but did not do that.
The matter was reported to Chifubu police station where the accused admitted the charge and was arrested.
Mbeye pleaded that he was looking after 14 orphans and other dependants in a single room and that if he was jailed, no one would take care of the children.
Mbeye asked the court to give him 14 days to pay back the money.
The case was adjourned to a later date.
