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Tsenulo Moyo
A 34-YEAR-OLD woman from Paddonhurst suburb in Bulawayo was arrested for allegedly stealing her employer’s goods and using them to open her shop.
Sibonokuhle Mpofu (34) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Challenge Mahembe facing theft charges. She pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody for continuation of trial.
In her defence, she stated that she opened the shop using her savings and that the complainant Fungai Phiri (30) was lying about her admitting to the offence.
Phiri from Woodlands in Gweru said she got an anonymous call telling her that the accused was stealing from her and had even opened a shop selling the same cosmetics and jewellery as her own.
Phiri said the previous stocktake had been done by the accused alone and when they did the stock take together, she noticed discrepancies.
She said she went on to confront the accused who in turn admitted to the offence and took the complainant to her shop where stolen goods valued at US$559 were recovered.
Tatenda Chikoba, a bookkeeper at the shop and a witness in this case, stated that the accused and complainant would usually conduct a physical stock take together every month.
“I came to Bulawayo to conduct a physical stock take with the complainant, and we noticed discrepancies. The total value of missing goods for May was US$1 273, and for April, it was US$1 343,” she said.
Chikoba also attested to the fact that they both confronted the accused, and she admitted to stealing the goods because she was in need of money.
Circumstances are that on 20 May 2024, the complainant got a tip-off that the accused was in the same line of business as hers and was renting a shop at Bulawayo Centre.
The complainant got to her shop on 27 May 2024 and asked the accused person if she had taken some of her products to her shop.
The accused is said to have admitted to the theft and led the complainant to her shop, where she returned some of the stolen goods.
The total value of stolen goods is said to be US$1 343 and only US$559 was recovered. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person.
Online Reporter