Corpun file 19109

Sunday Mail, Harare, 21 May 2006

Boy to receive 2 cane strokes

By Metro Reporter

A 16-YEAR-OLD Highfield boy will receive two strokes of the light cane at Harare Central Prison after he was last week convicted of stealing an army uniform by a Mbare magistrate.

George Kasambira (16) of New Canaan had pleaded not guilty before Mbare magistrate Mrs Florence Mudzongo, who had been charged with stealing the military fatigues belonging to Mr Peter Mhuru, also of Highfield.

The accused was, however, found guilty of committing the offence on March 1. The court heard that the juvenile stole the uniform from a clothesline at a block of flats where Mr Mhuru lives After stealing the uniform, the boy sold it to a Highfield woman. On March 5, he went back to the premises and stole a T-shirt belonging to Mr Mhuru but this time a neighbour spotted him and effected a citizen's arrest.

It was then that the accused confessed to having previously stolen the uniform from the complainant, before he led them to the buyer, where it was recovered.

Kasambira broke down and pleaded with the court to forgive him as he was still going to school and further said in mitigation that he was looking for money to buy food as his grandmother had left him with no food when she left their home to attend a funeral.

The magistrate sentenced Kasambira to three months in prison which were wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit any offence involving dishonesty. He will instead receive two strokes of a light cane.

"You should go to school and not steal," the magistrate said in her concluding remarks.