News / National
Jail me please, thief begs magistrate
02 Feb 2018 at 05:41hrs | Views
A PLUMTREE man who was nabbed for stealing property worth $4 000 has asked the magistrate to send him to the slammer because he cannot afford to pay back what he stole.
Mthandazo Moyo (29) of no fixed abode's stealing escapade ended after one of his victims from whom he had stolen property worth $125 identified him through the shoe prints his shoes left imprinted in the yard.
His arrest led the police to clearing several cases of unlawful entry and theft which were happening in Plumtree since November last year.
He pleaded not guilty to four counts but was convicted by Plumtree resident magistrate Taurai Manwere.
He was sentenced to 48 months in prison of which 12 months were conditionally suspended for five years. In addition another six months were suspended on condition he pays restitution of $600 to the complainants.
Moyo will serve an effective 30-month jail term.
After receiving his sentence he pleaded with the court not to suspend anything for restitution arguing that he wanted to serve the sentence once since he could not raise the money.
"Your worship, why don't you send me at once to prison than to have me come back here again because I won't be able to raise the amount which is needed for restitution? It's better I go to prison without thinking of coming back here," he said.
Prosecutor Elisha Mazorodze told the court that on 30 November last year, Moyo went to Misheck Gumbo's house at around 2am and broke into his room while he was asleep.
He stole clothes worth $125 and went away.
However, the following morning, Gumbo discovered Moyo's shoe prints in his yard and followed them until he lost track in the bush.
On the same day, he went for a beer drink at Mupandawana Bottle Store in the town where Moyo was also drinking beer.
Gumbo discovered that the shoes the thief wore had imprints similar to those he saw at his home.
He went and advised the police but Moyo could not be located.
Ten days later, he received information about property stashed in a bushy area near Omadu Hotel and he recovered his property and other gadgets which included laptops.
Gumbo took the property to Plumtree Hotel for safekeeping and a manhunt led to Moyo's arrest while on a drinking spree, leading to the recovery of property worth $3 200.
Mthandazo Moyo (29) of no fixed abode's stealing escapade ended after one of his victims from whom he had stolen property worth $125 identified him through the shoe prints his shoes left imprinted in the yard.
His arrest led the police to clearing several cases of unlawful entry and theft which were happening in Plumtree since November last year.
He pleaded not guilty to four counts but was convicted by Plumtree resident magistrate Taurai Manwere.
He was sentenced to 48 months in prison of which 12 months were conditionally suspended for five years. In addition another six months were suspended on condition he pays restitution of $600 to the complainants.
Moyo will serve an effective 30-month jail term.
After receiving his sentence he pleaded with the court not to suspend anything for restitution arguing that he wanted to serve the sentence once since he could not raise the money.
"Your worship, why don't you send me at once to prison than to have me come back here again because I won't be able to raise the amount which is needed for restitution? It's better I go to prison without thinking of coming back here," he said.
Prosecutor Elisha Mazorodze told the court that on 30 November last year, Moyo went to Misheck Gumbo's house at around 2am and broke into his room while he was asleep.
He stole clothes worth $125 and went away.
However, the following morning, Gumbo discovered Moyo's shoe prints in his yard and followed them until he lost track in the bush.
On the same day, he went for a beer drink at Mupandawana Bottle Store in the town where Moyo was also drinking beer.
Gumbo discovered that the shoes the thief wore had imprints similar to those he saw at his home.
He went and advised the police but Moyo could not be located.
Ten days later, he received information about property stashed in a bushy area near Omadu Hotel and he recovered his property and other gadgets which included laptops.
Gumbo took the property to Plumtree Hotel for safekeeping and a manhunt led to Moyo's arrest while on a drinking spree, leading to the recovery of property worth $3 200.
Source - bmetro
