Teenager jailed for stealing 5 donkeys

Stealing six donkeys earned a Chipinge teenager a five-year imprisonment term. Norest Tuboyi (18) in Chief Musikavanhu's area was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Clemence Ngweshiwa recently.

He was convicted on two counts of stealing domestic animals. In the first count, he was sentenced to 42 months in prison, of which 12 months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next four years. For the second count, the teenager was sentenced to 36 months with six months being also suspended. Tuboyi was so LUCKY to get a custodial sentence of five years since donkeys are not outlined in the section that deals with stock theft.

The court heard that on 6 December last year, Tuboyi stole two donkeys from Phinias Maone of Chinyamukwakwa Village and on the same day, he also stole a donkey from Shungu Mlambo of the same village. On 2 May, the teenager went to Rimbi village where he stole three donkeys from Mwaisaziva who later reported the matter to the police.

Investigations led to Tuboyi's arrest. State counsel Mr Witness Nyamundaya prosecuted.