News / National
'Unemployment forces me to steal'
23 Jun 2014 at 08:46hrs | Views
A 40-YEAR-OLD Kamativi man who broke into a hut and stole mobile phones, tennis shoes, polish and a carton of matches valued at $140 has been sentenced to a year imprisonment.
Thabani Sibanda, a repeat offender last week pleaded guilty to unlawful entry charges before Hwange magistrate Portia Mhlanga.
Sibanda told the court he resorted to desperate measures to raise money for his sick child who is in hospital. The total value of goods recovered is $125.
Prosecuting, Alfred Mzizi told of how on 17 June this year, Sibanda entered Mercy Moyo's bedroom hut at Main Mkandla's home in Village 21 under Chief Nekatamb. He broke the padlock using an iron rod and entered through the house.
Mzizi said Sibanda took one YXTEL, a Nokia, and a Vodaphone mobile phones, a pair of black tennis shoes, one polish tin, a carton of matches and $8 cash.
He said Moyo's son Obvious Mudenda, at around 9.30AM on the day saw Sibanda carrying a satchel by their gate. Mudenda noticed the bedroom hut door was opened and proceeded to phone Moyo and searched the hut, only to find out that the property was missing.
The matter was reported to the police and Sibanda was subsequently arrested at a bus stop as he was trying to travel to Bulawayo.
Magistrate Mhlanga said he had committed a similar offence on two occasions in September, 2013 when he was slapped with 210 hours of community service at St Theresa Primary, Kamativi for theft and unlawful entry.
In mitigation Sibanda said there were no jobs in Kamativi hence his decision to steal.
"Your worship, my one-year-old child had burns on her body last year and needed money for treatment.
"This time around, she was sick and needed money in Bulawayo at the hospital. I will not do it again," he said.
Mhlanga told Sibanda he had shown the court his failure to reform.
"Every time your child gets sick, you say you will continue to steal. Kamativi is not the only place to look for work," she said.
Thabani Sibanda, a repeat offender last week pleaded guilty to unlawful entry charges before Hwange magistrate Portia Mhlanga.
Sibanda told the court he resorted to desperate measures to raise money for his sick child who is in hospital. The total value of goods recovered is $125.
Prosecuting, Alfred Mzizi told of how on 17 June this year, Sibanda entered Mercy Moyo's bedroom hut at Main Mkandla's home in Village 21 under Chief Nekatamb. He broke the padlock using an iron rod and entered through the house.
Mzizi said Sibanda took one YXTEL, a Nokia, and a Vodaphone mobile phones, a pair of black tennis shoes, one polish tin, a carton of matches and $8 cash.
He said Moyo's son Obvious Mudenda, at around 9.30AM on the day saw Sibanda carrying a satchel by their gate. Mudenda noticed the bedroom hut door was opened and proceeded to phone Moyo and searched the hut, only to find out that the property was missing.
Magistrate Mhlanga said he had committed a similar offence on two occasions in September, 2013 when he was slapped with 210 hours of community service at St Theresa Primary, Kamativi for theft and unlawful entry.
In mitigation Sibanda said there were no jobs in Kamativi hence his decision to steal.
"Your worship, my one-year-old child had burns on her body last year and needed money for treatment.
"This time around, she was sick and needed money in Bulawayo at the hospital. I will not do it again," he said.
Mhlanga told Sibanda he had shown the court his failure to reform.
"Every time your child gets sick, you say you will continue to steal. Kamativi is not the only place to look for work," she said.
Source - chronicle
