Lusaka housemaid to spend 30 months in prison for stealing $13,000 belonging to employer

A 30-year-old Lusaka housemaid from Mtendere East, Violet Mwanza, has learned the hard way that envy carries a heavy price after being sentenced to two years and six months in prison for stealing US$13,000 from her employer.

Magistrate Mwandu Sakala handed down the sentence, describing the crime as a serious breach of trust.

“You were entrusted with your employer’s property and abused that trust. Your guilty plea saves court time, but the offence must serve as a deterrent to others,” the magistrate said.

Mwanza, who had been employed since October 2024, confessed to taking the money between April 1 and April 28, 2025.

She told the court:
“I took the money out of admiration and envy because my friends had things.” She admitted she had no right to the cash and that her employer owed her no outstanding pay.

Although approximately US$7,000 was recovered, the court highlighted that theft by domestic workers was increasingly becoming a concern in Lusaka.

Mwanza had previously failed to appear in court, citing housing difficulties in Chingola, prompting the issuance of a bench warrant.

The magistrate also rejected attempts at reconciliation.

“This offence is a felony; it cannot be resolved outside court,” he said.

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