Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, Court Reporter
THE 13-year-old Bulawayo boy who stole US$1 500 and R1 500 from his mother and squandered the money on alcohol and betting has been sentenced to four years in jail.
The juvenile from Mahatshula suburb, whose identity is being withheld for ethical reasons, was convicted of theft when he appeared before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboea last Thursday.
He will serve his sentence at Percy Ibbotson Reformatory Centre in Luveve.
In aggravation, the prosecutor, Mr Milton Moyo, told the court that the boy was a habitual offender who had become a menace to both his family and the wider Mahatshula community.
“He repeatedly stole various household items from home and from neighbours, selling them to finance his behaviour. He has become a headache to the community,” said Mr Moyo.
“I pray for a custodial sentence to protect the family and the community, and to help the accused reform.”
In mitigation, the boy pleaded for leniency, admitting that he wasted the stolen money on alcohol and gambling.
“I bought beer at a nightclub with my friend and used some of the money on betting. The rest was taken by my friend, who has not yet been arrested. I regret my actions and I will not commit a crime again,” he told the court.
In a victim impact statement, the boy’s mother said the theft had left her emotionally and financially distressed.
“I took several months to raise that money. I wanted to buy a housing stand, but now everything is gone. My son has caused me deep pain. I am now suffering from high blood pressure and it is no longer safe for me to stay with him,” she said.
The court heard that on 16 September last year, at about 4.30PM, the boy stole the money, which his mother had hidden in a plastic bag buried in the garden.
“The accused had been observing his mother hiding the money. On that day, he took US$1 500 and R1 500 and disappeared from home the following day,” said Mr Moyo.
The theft was discovered when the mother checked her money and found it missing. She reported the matter to the police, leading to the boy’s arrest.
The case comes amid growing concern over thefts linked to betting and gambling, which courts say are increasingly involving young offenders.
In recent cases, Bulawayo magistrate Mr Itai Kagwere sentenced Maxwell Tonongei to 30 months in prison for stealing US$3 100 from his employer to fund betting.
In another matter, Anele Moyo (20), a herdboy from Lupane, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, with part of the sentence suspended on condition of restitution and community service.
