Church thief locked up 6 months

By Lovemore Meya

Stealing a cellphone worth $350 during a church service in Chitungwiza proved costly for a thief who was sentenced to effective six months in prison. Bongani Kunaka (28) of 1950 St Mary’s Chitungwiza had to learn that crime does not pay.

This was after he tried his luck on December 16 at around 3am by stealing a cellphone belonging to Shalom Jamu (20), a soldier based at 1 Commando in Harare.

The incident happened after Jamu plugged his cellphone on the wall socket, charging it during the church service.

Kunaka came in and started following proceedings when he discovered that there was a Samsung Note 3 cellphone charging, while no one was attending to it.

Kunaka reached for the cellphone and stole it. He ran out of luck after Jamu’s friend, Falesi Mphadzula, saw him stealing the phone.

Mphadzula notified Jamu who reacted swiftly and apprehended Kunaka. The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest and subsequent appearance in court before Chitungwiza magistrate Ms Blessing Murwisi.

Kunaka admitted to theft charges.

Ms Murwisi slapped him with a year in prison, but conditionally set aside six months for five years. Mr Farai Katonha prosecuted. The Herald