adminLoveness Bepete Chronicle Reporter
A BINGA police officer was yesterday slapped with an effective 18 month jail term for stealing $2,024 from a colleague he shared a house with.
Patrick Tatenda Nyamuziwa, 30, appeared before Binga provincial magistrate Steven Ndhlovu facing eight counts of theft.
He stole Constable Tendai Chizema’s ATM card and withdrew the money in seven separate transactions over a period of one week.
Ndhlovu sentenced him to 24 months and suspended six for five years on condition of good behaviour.
In his defence Nyamuziwa said he stole the money because he was depressed.
“I was frustrated over some medical results that I received from the New Start Centre which l had just received and l had lost hope for life again that is why I stole,” said Nyamuziwa.
Prosecuting, Bruce Maphosa told the court that on December 4, Nyamuziwa stole Constable Chizema’s wallet, which contained his bank card, a two-gigabyte memory card and a pay slip. He went to Harare where he made several withdrawals.
“Nyamuziwa first withdrew $400 at Pearl House ATM in Harare on December 5,” said Maphosa.
He withdrew $400 again from Barclays Bank in Harare and on the same day again withdrew another $400 from Pearl House”.
The court heard that on December 6 Nyamuziwa took $200 from Barclays bank.
Nyamuziwa on December 8 once again went to Chitungwiza ATM and withdrew $200.
“The following day he took $400 from Robert Mugabe ATM in Harare,” said Maphosa.
On his last withdrawal, Nyamuziwa cleaned out the account taking $24.
Constable Chizema recovered his money after Nyamuziwa’s uncle paid it back.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter