Eight years for habitual thief

A 23-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo who stole property worth more than $17 000 in six months from salons, bars, shops has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Kuthula Mhlanga pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and theft before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Sibongile Ndlovu.

She sentenced him to eight years in prison, suspended one year for three years on condition of good behaviour and a further three years on condition that he restitutes the stolen goods to the complainants.

Mhlanga will serve an effective four years.

The magistrate said she took into account that Mhlanga pleaded guilty to all the counts and showed remorse.

“In almost all the counts he seemed to be assisting in recovering the stolen property. In so far as the courts are always urged to give a non custodial sentence to first offenders especially those who plead guilty, the court feels that a non custodial sentence in this case will not mean justice taking into account that there are many counts, unlawful entry and theft has always been treated as a serious offence,” she said.

“The court will treat all counts as one for purposes of the sentence to meet the justice of the case. For sentence the court has considered that the offences have been committed in a space of six months and are similar in nature,” said the magistrate.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said “On November 14 last year Mhlanga broke into Greys Inn Bar using the back door and took a 32-inch plasma television, microwave and beer.”

“On February 24 he gained entry into Finsha Micro Finance and stole a money safe containing $2 700, three cell phones and a microwave,” said Mr Dlodlo.

“Sometime in April the man stole clothes, a laptop, two cell phones and a travelling bag from Ms Malibongwe Mkandla’s Trending Maboe’s Boutique,” he said.

“In the following month, he stole some caps, tennis shoes and some deodorants at Ms Precious Deda’s shop located along George Silundika Street,” said the prosecutor.

He also stole a decoder, 63 perfumes, weaves and braids at a salon in the city, he said.

“On July 15 at midnight Mhlanga entered Beyond Beauty hair salon using the back window and took away property worth $1 884,” said the prosecutor.

Some of the goods he stole included hair pieces, jean trousers and a leather jacket.

“Few days after the accused person went on to steal from Musimboti Pharmacy along R. Mugabe and 9th Avenue. He took away some crates of empty soft drink bottles, a printer and a laptop,” said Mr Dlodlo.

The court heard Mhlanga was later arrested and voluntarily led the police to his homestead where they recovered property worth $5 409.

Total value of property stolen is $17 039. — @gwizi_n.