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Andile Tshuma, Court Reporter
A 22-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man will perform community service for stealing 20 empty beer crates from a supermarket in Mpopoma suburb where he lives.

Kelvin Moyo of Mpopoma suburb appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube and pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and theft charges.

When asked why he stole the empty crates, Moyo said he was hungry and a visibly irritated magistrate asked him if the crates were edible, drawing laughter from the gallery.

“You say you were hungry, were you planning to eat all the 20 crates?” asked the magistrate.

Moyo apologised before the magistrate slapped him with a two year suspended prison term.

“My apologies Your Worship. Times are hard. I thought I would sell them and earn some money to buy food,” said Moyo.

The 20 crates which were stolen were valued at $176 and were all not recovered.

Ms Dube suspended three months of the 24 month jail term on condition of good behaviour and the other three months were suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainant.

“The rest your of sentence will be suspended if you perform community service at a primary school near your residence,” she said.

The duration of the community service was not stated in court.

Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said Moyo broke into Bango Supermarket in Mpopoma suburb last Thursday.

“On December 1 this year in the afternoon at around 1PM, the accused person went to Sidumisile Supermarket at Bango Shopping Centre, where upon arrival he entered the storeroom unlawfully, as he had found it open,” said Mageza.

The court heard that, Moyo stole 20 crates and went away. He was seen carrying the crates by one Henry Moyo of Mpopoma suburb.

@andile_tshuma