By MAYA NTANDA  and CHATULA KAMPO –
FIVE people have appeared in a Kitwe magistrate’s court in connection with the robbery at Standard Chartered Bank involving K1 million.
Freddie Kaonga, 35, an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) custodian, Christopher Chansa,34, a technician, Benson Mwansa, 24, a bricklayer, Peter Kasongo,42, and Jacob Mfula, 29, both business executives, have been charged with aggravated robbery.
It was alleged that the five on January 12 this year in Kitwe while armed with an offensive weapon stole over K1 million cash, property of Standard Chartered Bank from Matilda Zulu.
Standard Chartered Bank on Oxford Road was broken into and money snatched from the ATM strong room.
The five accused persons, who were arrested on February 4, this year, on Thursday appeared before Magistrate Prosper Mwila who explained the charge to them.
Mr Mwila told the accused persons that they were appearing for mention before him and that the offence they were charged with would be tried by the High Court.
The matter was adjourned to February 21 for another mention and possible committal to the High Court.
They were all remanded in custody.
In Ndola, the magistrate’s court has found two juveniles aged 13 and 16 guilty of house breaking and theft.
The two male juvenile offenders appeared separately before Magistrate Ben Akende and Chitundu Chongo.
Magistrate Akende found the 16-year-old boy of Chifubu Township in Ndola guilty of the offence and ordered that he should be placed on 12-month probation and undergo counselling by the social welfare department.
The juvenile on January 17, this year, around 14:00 hours in Chifubu Township broke and entered Mwambela Ngulube’s house and stole four cell phones and K250.
In mitigation, he pleaded for leniency through social welfare officer Angela Mwanza.
Ms Mwanza pleaded that the boy was a first offender who was still at school and recommended that he should be put on probation for 12 months.
Mr Akende, in passing his sentence, took into account his mitigation where the offender readily admitted to the charge.
In another court, a 13-year-old boy was found guilty of breaking into a house and stealing two cell phones, a school bag and foodstuffs all valued at K550.
Magistrate Chongo found the boy of Old Kawama Township, who was jointly charged with four others, guilty upon his admission to committing the offence.
The four others are also juveniles aged between nine and 13 years, all of Ndola.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The facts in this case were that the boy on the material day was found stealing the items from Mr Katongo’s house in Chifubu Township.
The complainant later reported the theft to the police.
The boy and his friends were later arrested for house breaking and theft after being interviewed by the police.
Magistrate Chongo adjourned the case to February 27, this year, for the social welfare department’s report and for mention for the four juvenile offenders.