Man steals battery to pay debt

A CHITAKATIRA man, who tried to pay off a debt using a stolen car battery, has been jailed.

Llyod Chikuni (30), was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Mutare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe without the option of a fine.

Public prosecutor Mr Fletcher Karombe told the court that on December 15, 2017, Chikuni, who was in the company of his friend, Abel Mugandaire (30), broke into a parked Mazda Titan truck, registration number AND 4433, and stole the battery.

Chikuni, who admitted to stealing the battery, told the court that he used the battery to pay off $25 owed to Ashton Matondo.

On January 30, this year, police detectives received information to the effect that Chikuni had broken into a truck, leading to the arrest of both Mungadaire and Chikuni and the recovery of the battery.

Matondo was set free with no charges.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old tout from Mutare was fined $80 and ordered to restitute the complainant $470 for smashing a car windscreen.

Edwin Maungwe appeared before the courts facing charges of destruction of property.

It is alleged that on January 17, at around 9am, he approached the complainant, David Sithole, who is a taxi driver, and told him not to pick passengers at an intersection in Chikanga.

When Sithole defied him, Maungwe became aggressive and used a stone to smash his car’s windscreen.

He also used fists to further damage the windscreen and fled the scene.

In passing sentence, Mr Mahwe said the accused was a first offender and had not wasted the court’s time by denying the charges.