adminTanaka Mrewa Court Reporter
A recently pardoned prisoner has been sent back to jail for four years after he broke into a phone shop in Entumbane suburb and stole property worth $1,800. Lungile Mazo, 20, pleaded guilty before Western Commonage magistrate Temba Chimiso to a charge of unlawful entry and theft.
Mazo had been released days earlier on amnesty. He was serving a two year sentence, but his initial crime was not stated in court.
The court heard that Mazo from Entumbane went to the shop at Nhliziyo shopping centre owned by Roderick Juni, 29, who is also from the same suburb. Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said the crime happened on May 29.
“The accused used a broken arm chair to force open a padlock and he stole a Samsung camera, Sony camera, flash, two camera batteries and a camera stand. All the property stolen was worth $1,800 and all of the stolen property was recovered,” said Mageza.
Mazo told the magistrate that he resorted to stealing as he wanted to sell the property to raise some money as he had nothing for his livelihood.
“I had no money to sustain myself. I haven’t found a job as yet since I had just come out of prison, I’m sorry,” he said. Chimiso said Mazo had shown that he was ungrateful at being pardoned.
The magistrate slapped him with a four year effective sentence. “You’ve proven to be undeserving of a second chance in society. You were pardoned on a two year sentence and yet you’ve committed another offence,” said Chimiso.
derick.khumalo