adminAuxilia Katongomara Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man pleaded with a magistrate not to jail him for stealing a computer from Good Samaritans who had locked him in a bar to sober up after he fell into a drunken stupor. Teeleesaw Mabhena, 21, of Pumula South, went on bended knee as he pleaded with Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube saying he was drunk when he committed the offence.
“I am very sorry your honour, I was very drunk when I committed this offence and I promise that I will not do it again,” said Mabhena as he knelt down in the dock.
Prosecuting, Frank Ncube told the court that sometime in May this year, Mabhena was drinking beer at Egumeni Bottle Store.
Heavily intoxicated, he fell asleep.
“After realising that Mabhena had fallen asleep, the owners decided to lock him inside the bar. In the early hours of the morning, Mabhena woke up and went inside the butchery offices and stole a desktop computer worth $340 before breaking out,” said Ncube.
He was arrested later that day and the computer was found at his home.
Mabhena was sentenced to nine months in prison, three of which were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence and performs 210 hours of community service at Premier High School in Pumula South.
derick.khumalo