By YVONNE CHATE –
A ZAMTEL employee has been sentenced to 18 months in prison with hard labour for failing to pay lodging bills.
Kanaan Kalengo, 34, of house number 10 Oleander, Avondale in Lusaka, was on Wednesday convicted by Ndola principal resident magistrate Obbister Musukwa for obtaining pecuniary advantage.
Kalengo evaded payment of a K13, 724 debt to Ndola Executive Lodge between July 6 and 24, this year.
Given Chishala, a worker at the lodge told the court that on unknown date in June, this year she was on duty when Kalengo booked a room at the lodge for himself and his family.
She said when she asked for the lodging fee, Kalengo promised to pay the money on a later date, a matter they both agreed on.
Ms Chishala said she discovered that Kalengo left the lodge without paying the bills which had accumulated.
“I was surprised when Mr Kalengo left his family behind and went to Lusaka without paying the bill he accumulated,” she said
She said she got concerned when the accused was not showing up and the wife also left without paying the lodging fees.
Ms Chishala made several attempts to compel Kalengo to pay his lodging bill but to no avail.
She later reported the case to Nkwazi police post where the police managed to apprehend him.
Kalengo asked for the court’s lenience because he was a married man with two children he was looking after and if the court sent him to jail, he would lose his job.
Mr Musukwa said he took into consideration Kalengo’s mitigation but he was mandated to punish offenders like him to deter would be offenders.