Woman (33) held for theft at Ackermans

MBABANE – A 33-year-old woman of Dlozini was arrested and charged for stealing 17 items worth E1 263 at Mbabane Ackermans Store.

Siwelile Kunene, who works as a house helper, is said to have stolen the items on October 3, 2022.

It was stated that the accused targeted children’s items without tags as it was difficult to detect them at the exit.

In mitigation, the accused did not deny stealing the items, but said she committed the offence while she was out of her senses.

The matter was before Court President Chief Mgebiseni Dlamini yesterday at the Mbabane National Court.

Narrating

While narrating her story, the accused told the court that being a single mother forced her to steal. She said she had a two-year-old she could not take care of alone.

“I am having a challenge in raising the child alone because he was abandoned by his father,” stated the accused.

The accused further told the court that she was tempted after coming to see her new fiancé. Kunene said she did not know how it all happened.

“I only entered the shop with an intention to buy sandals, hhayi kweba,” narrated the accused.

Accused

Nozipho Thwala, the Mbabane Ackermans Store Shop Assistant, told the court that the accused entered the store with a black bag. She said it was the same bag which was used to pack the stolen items. She said the accused only targeted the items without tags.

Thwala said after searching the accused’s bag, they discovered 17 children’s stolen items and then demanded for a receipt for the items.

“We asked her many questions regarding the items. At first she said she had bought the items but failed to produce the receipt as proof. She then started shivering and said she got tempted to steal,” said Thwala.

The assistant further told the court that the accused later pleaded to be allowed to pay for the stolen items, which she was allowed to do. She then said the accused called her boss, who promised to send her the money via Mobile Money to pay for the stolen items before she was taken to the police station.

She said after seeing that the accused’s boss was delaying sending the money to pay for the stolen goods, they took her to the police station where she was reported and formerly charged with shoplifting. The shop assistant shocked everyone when she stated that one of the reasons they allowed shoplifters to pay for the stolen items was because of the threats they received when taking them to the police station.

Residence

“Some of them even tell us that they know our place of residence or where we usually board taxis. Hearing such threats propels us to make them pay for the stolen items rather than being injured,” said Thwala.

When the charge was read to Kunene by the Clerk, the accused pleaded guilty.

In mitigation of the sentence, Kunene pleaded for leniency and told the court that she regretted stealing the items. She said she would never do that again. The court president advised her to go and report the father of her child to social workers. He told her that stealing was not an option. The accused was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of E1 000.