Bid to buy Christmas gift for daughter backfires

A CHITUNGWIZA woman’s wish to buy her daughter new clothes for Christmas went bad after she was arrested for stealing a handbag with used undergarments together with R1 020 from a co-tenant.

Caroline Talika (23) of Zengeza 4 told the court that she committed the offence because she wanted to buy her child new clothes.

“I unlawfully entered into my co-tenant’s house and stole her bag because I wanted to buy Christmas clothing for my child. However, I did a mistake of stealing the undergarments which were inside the handbag,” she said

It is the State’s case that on December 19, Talika broke into Ivy Chingoma’s room and stole money that was kept in her co-tenant’s handbag. At the material time, Chingoma had gone outside to do her house chores. However, upon returning to her room, the victim discovered that her money had been stolen.

Chingoma subsequently quizzed Talika as she was the only person in the house, but she failed to give a satisfactory answer.

The court heard that exactly six days later - on Christmas Day - at around 4pm, Chingoma left her room unattended and again Talika tried to steal from her.

This time, however, she was not so lucky; she was caught red-handed trying to return the handbag she had fished out through the window.

She was apprehended and taken to the police, leading to her arrest.

Appearing before Chitungwiza magistrate Mrs Yeukai Chigodora, Talika pleaded guilty to charges of theft and unlawful entry into premises under aggravating circumstances.

Mrs Chigodora slapped her with a oneand-half-year prison term. Six months were suspended for five years on condition that she doesn’t commit the same offence, while another six months were suspended on condition that she restitutes Chingoma her money by January 15. The remaining six months were commuted to 210 hours of community service at Zengeza 4 High School.

Mr Farai Katonha prosecuted.