News / National
Man steals to fund-raise for mentally-ill wife
06 Aug 2019 at 07:38hrs | Views
A POLYGAMOUS Buhera man who claimed to have broken into two houses and stole clothes worth over $1 600 to raise money to treat one of his two wives who has a mental problem has been jailed for an effective 15 months.
Hardlife Size (30) of Chinyamakiti village under Chief Chamutsa was convicted on his own plea of guilty by Chipinge magistrate, Joshua Nembaware on Thursday.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison of which 10 months were conditionally suspended for five years. A further five months were suspended on condition that he restitute the complainants $40 and $1 370 respectively.
In mitigation, Size told the court that he stole the property so that he could sell it to raise money to have his wife treated for a mental problem.
"I stole because I wanted to take my first wife to hospital, she is mentally ill," Size said.
Prosecutor, Chipo Nyasha told the court that between April and May, Size took advantage of the complainants' absence from their homesteads and broke into their houses and stole their clothes.
On the first occasion, he broke into Pamela Mundandi's homestead and stole the clothes and took them to his house and gave his wives.
He also stole Mundandi's birth and carpentry certificates. After having successfully stolen from Mundandi he went to Blessing Mukokowondo's homestead and broke a window pane to gain entry into her bedroom.
He then stole some clothes and disappeared unnoticed.
However, two weeks ago, Mundandi bumped into one of Size's wives, Maria Mafambu wearing some of her clothes and tipped the police.
A follow-up was made and a search conducted at her house leading into the recovery of some of her property.
The police also searched at his second wife, Sandra Magwindiri's homestead and recovered some of the stolen property. On being questioned the two wives implicated their husband leading to his arrest.
Hardlife Size (30) of Chinyamakiti village under Chief Chamutsa was convicted on his own plea of guilty by Chipinge magistrate, Joshua Nembaware on Thursday.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison of which 10 months were conditionally suspended for five years. A further five months were suspended on condition that he restitute the complainants $40 and $1 370 respectively.
In mitigation, Size told the court that he stole the property so that he could sell it to raise money to have his wife treated for a mental problem.
"I stole because I wanted to take my first wife to hospital, she is mentally ill," Size said.
Prosecutor, Chipo Nyasha told the court that between April and May, Size took advantage of the complainants' absence from their homesteads and broke into their houses and stole their clothes.
On the first occasion, he broke into Pamela Mundandi's homestead and stole the clothes and took them to his house and gave his wives.
He also stole Mundandi's birth and carpentry certificates. After having successfully stolen from Mundandi he went to Blessing Mukokowondo's homestead and broke a window pane to gain entry into her bedroom.
He then stole some clothes and disappeared unnoticed.
However, two weeks ago, Mundandi bumped into one of Size's wives, Maria Mafambu wearing some of her clothes and tipped the police.
A follow-up was made and a search conducted at her house leading into the recovery of some of her property.
The police also searched at his second wife, Sandra Magwindiri's homestead and recovered some of the stolen property. On being questioned the two wives implicated their husband leading to his arrest.
Source - newsday
