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A BULAWAYO woman who was charged for stealing Christmas goodies for her children and stuffing them in her handbag brought light moments in a packed courtroom when she claimed that she was being used by the devil.Tsokolo Tlou, 40, of Cowdray Park made the startling revelation on Friday while appearing before Bulawayo magistrate Evylene Mashavakure to answer to a theft charge.
Tlou did not waste the court’s time when she quickly pleaded guilty to the charge. She was spared the agony of jail life as from the five months she had been initially sentenced to in prison, three were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining two months were suspended on condition that she completes 105 hours of community service at Mkhithika Primary School in Cowdray Park.
In mitigation Tlou created a bout of laughter when she said she committed the offence because she was being used by the devil.
“Your Worship, the devil has entered me and influenced me to steal. I beg for forgiveness. I am a widow and unemployed and taking care of my two school-going children,” said Tlou.
The court heard that on 17 December Tlou walked into Edgars shop situated along Jason Moyo pretending to be one of the afternoon Christmas shoppers.
After entering the shop, Tlou, a mother of two, first took a walk-and-look-around, apparently to make sure that the security guards and shopkeepers were not on the lookout.
Thinking that no one was watching her, Tlou quickly picked a pair of shoes, khaki shorts, stripped T-shirt, a Kelso dress, Tommy tennis shoes all worth $250 and stuffed them in her handbag.
An alert security guard, who had placed her under surveillance, intercepted her just as she tried to walk out of the shop. She was searched and found in possession of the stolen goods leading to her arrest.
Online Reporter