Nkosentsha Khumalo
In a desperate bid to secure funds for his child’s schooling, a 24-year-old Bulawayo resident allegedly broke into his neighbour’s home on New Year’s Eve and stole a shovel and digging fork.
The father, is was unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, admitted to the theft in court, stating that he needed the tools to work on a piece job and support his family.
The theft was discovered when the neighbour returned home and found the items missing.
Nguquko Ndlovu, the 24-year-old resident from Bulawayo, was charged with unlawful entry into premises and theft in the Bulawayo Magistrates Court.
He admitted to breaking into his neighbour’s home in Nguboyenja on New Year’s Eve and stealing a shovel and a digging fork valued at ZWL$6,000. Ndlovu told the court that he needed the tools for a piece job in order to support his family.
Ndlovu when he appeared before the Bulawayo Provincial magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.
However, 12 months were suspended on condition that the accused person completes 420 hours of community service at ZRP CPU Nguboyenja within 13 weeks.
The complainant in this case is Vimbai Kunaka a female adult aged 33, residing in Nguboyenja were the theft occured.
Ndlovu is also a close neighbour to Kunaka.
Prosecutor Hazel Ncube told the court that on first day of January 2022 at around 10pm and in Nguboyenja in Bulawayo, Ndlovu unlawfully and intentionally broke into Vimbai Kunaka’s household and stole tools, namely a shovel and digging fork both worth ZWL$6 000 claiming he wanted to satisfy his needs and wants.
According to the State papers, it is alleged that Ndlovu, taking advantage of the festive season celebration broke into Kunaka’s homestead and stole tools with intentions to go and use them at the farm for a piece job he had been granted by an unidentified person.
Ndlovu informed the court that he wanted to go and use them for a yielding piece job at the farm which he had been offered and the only thing he lacked was equipment.
“I had been granted a piece job at the farm and it was the only chance I had at raising money for my child’s school fees which was due”, testified Ndlovu.
Ndlovu also informed the court that he was drunk on the night of the incident and was hence not in his rightful state of mind, apologizing to the victim that suffered the consequences of his actions.
“Since i was also celebrating the New year, I was drunk and was not thinking clearly at that time, I wont do it again,” Ndlovu pleaded.
He also stated that he has been surviving through piece jobs to fend for both himself and his 4-year-old child who is based in the rural areas.
Despite Ndlovu’s plea to the state, the gravity of his actions earned him a prison sentence as he was found guilty with the charge of unlawful entry into premises and theft.
At the close of the State case, Ndlovu was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment with 12 months suspended on condition that he serves 420 hours of community service.
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