A 21-YEAR-OLD Victoria Falls man who was doing community service for theft was sentenced to an effective eight years in prison for six counts of theft involving property worth $2 578.
NOKUTHABA DLAMINI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Bhekimpilo Nyathi of Mfelandawonye high-density suburb was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani last Friday.
The court heard that on June 12 at around 7am, Tariro Magiga of Aerodrome left her house for work after locking all the doors.
Nyathi went to the house and forced the door open to gain entry and stole eight jean skirts, two jean trousers, 10 T-shits and five pairs of women’s shoes.
On the same day, he went to Panashe Leisure Resort and sold the stolen clothing claiming he had bought them from some tourists.
On June 16 at around 9pm, Nyathi broke into Takuzwa Ruvambiwa’s Mkhosana home while he was asleep and stole a Toshiba laptop, charger and laptop bag. On June 27 at around 7am, Nyathi broke into Henry Matambanadzo’s house in Aerodrome and stole two radio speakers, a DVD player, radio and an electrical drill.
The following day he stole a Kodak camera, HP laptop and groceries from Gugulethu Patience of Mkhosana and sold them.
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On July 5, Nyathi went to G-Sport Sports Bar to drink alcohol and when the place was closing at around 3am, he hid behind a disused refrigerator.
Left alone inside the bar, Nyathi stole an HP laptop and broke a window to flee.
A report was made to the police later that morning.
Nyathi dumped the jacket he was wearing in the bar together with the laptop bag behind Rest Camp and they were picked up by police officers on night patrol.
The owner of the stolen laptop told the police that Nyathi was the owner of the jacket and he was tracked and found at Mfelandawonye where he was arrested.
In mitigation, Nyathi begged the court to give him another chance.
“My father is also in prison for the same offence; this is something that I cannot control. Please give me another chance so that I can go back to school and stop stealing,” he begged.
Rosemani said chances of him stopping stealing were slim as he had recently appeared in court for the same offence.
“I value your mitigation, but what I find undesirable is that you were still doing community service for the same offence and you went on to steal. The first time the courts had considered your age, but now it seems this is something living in you which cannot be controlled,” she said.
