Thieving tout begs for forgiveness

A TOUT who stole a cellphone to raise money to upgrade his wardrobe has been arraigned.

Senzo Ncube (19) of Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo pleaded guilty to theft before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu.

He stole a Huawei phone valued at R600 from Ms Sarudzai Zhou (30), from the same suburb after a drinking spree at a sports bar along Nketa Drive.

Ncube, a first offender, was on the verge of tears as he begged to be pardoned for his offence.

He rubbed his hands together and his eyes reddened as he said: “I admit to the charges levelled against me but I did not steal the phone as she says. She dropped it and then I just picked it up and kept it. She would have lost it anyway.”

Ncube said that he wanted to sell the phone and update his wardrobe as he was in need of new clothing.

“I beg this honourable court to forgive me for what I did. I regret it. It was a mistake. I had just been fired from my job as a kombi tout and I wanted to buy some new clothes for myself. I wanted to sell the phone and get myself some money to make ends meet. I now have no other source of income,” he said.

The magistrate remanded him in custody to tomorrow for sentencing.

“I want you to have a feel of staying behind bars before I sentence you,” said Mr Ndhlovu.

Prosecutor Mr Kenneth Shava told the court that on August 6 at midnight, Ncube, Zhou, a Mgcini and another unidentified person left Zothile Sports Bar at Entumbane on their way home.

“As they approached Nketa Drive, his friends, Mgcini and an ally returned to Zothile while the accused proceeded home. That is when the accused person stole Ms Zhou’s phone which she had put in a jacket pocket.”

Ms Zhou, the court heard, reported the matter to the police, leading to Ncube’s arrest.

The phone was not recovered as Ncube had already sold it. — @andile_tshuma