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Tanaka Mrewa, Court Reporter
A MAN who escaped a jail sentence last month for stealing from his father appeared in court again yesterday for stealing his mother’s cellphone worth $20.

Fortune Nkala (21), got away with a community service sentence in June after his father begged the magistrate not to jail him.

Nkala was in court last month for stealing property worth $1,260 from his father claiming that he intended to use the money to clear a $50 debt.
He yesterday pleaded guilty to theft before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele who remanded him in custody to next week Tuesday.

At the time Nkala committed the second offence, he had only performed seven days of community service. Mr Ndebele was visibly surprised to see Nkala approach the dock.

“You’ve come back here already young man? You don’t learn do you? This court was lenient with you last time but you’ve abused that privilege. You haven’t even finished performing your community service. This time you’re going to jail,” said Mr Ndebele.

Mrs Fortunate Nkala, Fortune’s mother, pleaded with the court to give him a lesser sentence.

“Please your worship he’s just a child. We strongly believe that there’s an evil spirit upon him. Please allow him one last chance,” said the mother.
Nkala said he had no words to explain the theft.

“I’ve no explanation to what happened. I don’t have anything to justify my actions with. I really don’t know what to say,” said Nkala.

Prosecuting, Mr Stewart Madzore said on June 23, Mrs Nkala left her two cellphones on the sofa.

Mr Madzore said Nkala arrived home for lunch and left afterwards. Hours later his mother discovered that one of her cellphones was missing. The court heard that Mrs Nkala suspected her son was the thief because he was the only person who had come into the house.

Last month Mr Ndebele sentenced Nkala to a wholly suspended 24 months jail term.

He suspended four months for five years, eight months on condition that he restitutes his father. The magistrate commuted the remaining 12 months to 420 hours community service.

The court heard Nkala had just been expelled from Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic where he was doing teachers’ training.
He was allegedly abusing alcohol.