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Mashudu Mambo
A 22-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo, believed to be a former Milton High School student who was facing 17 counts of unlawful entry and theft from his former school’s boarding hostels has been sentenced to 48 months in prison.
Leechoice Sibanda received his jail “package” when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa where he pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Sibanda will, however, serve an effective 40 months in jail after five months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
Another two months of the sentence were further suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainants.
The court heard that in March this year Sibanda went on a stealing spree at Milton High school boarding hostels.
It was proved that on 9 March and at around 11pm, Sibanda went to Milton High School and entered one of the boarding hostels through an unlocked door and stole a Samsung J2 cellphone, a Huawei Y5P and a charger.
He then proceeded to other rooms where he stole a towel, two pairs of slippers, two pairs of shoes, Vivo YT cellphone, a charger, a track top and left.
The value of the stolen property was US$331 and property valued at US$249 was recovered upon his arrest.
It was heard in court that on 17 March, Sibanda went back to the boarding hostels and opened an unlocked door and got away with an Orel cellphone, calculator, US$4, a Premio cellphone and a charger.
The value of stolen property was US$107 and it was all later recovered.
The court further heard that on the following day, he went back again to the hostels and entered one of the rooms where he stole a Hisense cellphone, pair of rafters, four pairs of shoes, a pair of shorts, a track top, a bottle drink container, a satchel, a Samsung cellphone, track suit, pair of slippers, a bucket and a cellphone charger.
He then proceeded to other rooms where he stole a pair of navy blue shorts, blue shirt, a pair of Adidas shoes, a black jersey and two steam irons.
The value of the stolen property was US$404 and goods worth US$95 and 750 rand were also recovered upon his arrest.
His luck, however, ran out when the matter was reported to the police and investigations led to his arrest and his subsequent appearance in court.
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
