Online Reporter
Ronald Mpofu
A SOLDIER’S ‘grocery-shopping’ trip ended behind bars after he was convicted of breaking into a Plumtree shop and stealing household groceries worth R2 569.
Anold Nyoni (32), stationed at the Zimbabwe National Army Infantry Battalion in Plumtree, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Plumtree magistrate Mr Busani Sibanda on Monday.
Three months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during that period.
The court heard that Nyoni teamed up with his friend, Michael Ncube, to raid Lakeview Grocery Shop at Dingumuzi Shopping Centre on September 7.
According to court reports, the pair allegedly used a crowbar to smash their way through the shop door before making off with groceries.
But their alleged crime spree unravelled after police received a tip-off that led them to Ncube.
A search of Ncube’s home uncovered some of the stolen goods hidden under his bed.
Among the recovered items were two kilogrammes Boom washing powder, four 2kg packets of Huletts brown sugar, two litres of Roil cooking oil and 2kg of Ideal rice.
Ncube reportedly confessed to the theft and led police to the shop, showing them where the door had allegedly been forced open and where the crowbar had been dumped.
Investigators also traced more stolen groceries to Mathendele suburb after Nyoni allegedly asked Dictum Moyo to hide them at his house.
Moyo told police that Nyoni had arrived at his home carrying the groceries, which Ncube had identified as part of the haul stolen from the grocery shop.
Nyoni then went on the run and was eventually arrested during a joint search operation involving the ZNA and ZRP.
The court heard that only R440 worth of the stolen goods was recovered, leaving goods valued at R2 129 unaccounted for.
Ruth Ncube prosecuted.
