Gardener steals church offerings

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A 20-YEAR-OLD gardener landed in trouble for pilfering offering from the church treasurer, who is his niece.

A 20-YEAR-OLD gardener landed in trouble for pilfering offering from the church treasurer, who is his niece. OWN CORRESPONDENT

Stephen Zenda was sentenced to 14 days in jail by Zvishavane mgistrate Peter Madiba after being convicted on theft charges.

Zenda stole the money from Chipo Virikai.

Zenda told the court that he wanted the money to buy clothes since his niece Virikai was not able to provide for all his needs.

It was the State’s case that on September 1, Virikai left her purse containing $185 church money in her bedroom while she went to see a friend.

Zenda sneaked into the house and stole the money and disappeared.

When Virikai returned, she discovered that all the church money was gone. She questioned Zenda and his wife over the missing money, but they both denied stealing the money.

Virikai then informed elders that the offering collected on the previous Sunday had been stolen and a police report was made.

Police detectives interrogated Zenda, who had already bought new clothes for himself and he confessed to stealing the money.