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Andile Tshuma, Court Reporter
A 15-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo boy stole more than $2 000 from his father, bought his friends clothes to host an All-White vuzu party with expensive beer, a court heard.

A vuzu party is usually a wild celebration by youths where they abuse drugs and alcohol.

Teenagers at these shindigs also engage in unprotected sex orgies.

The boy’s father is based in the UK and visited his family for the holiday.

The juvenile, whose name has been withheld for ethical reasons, is a Form One pupil at Nkulumane High School and resides in Nketa 7 suburb.

He appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu charged with unlawful entry committed in aggravating circumstances and theft.

The teenager allegedly broke a cash box containing the money and disappeared from home for about eight days while he squandered the cash.

His father had been saving it to build a house.

The teenager also allegedly stole clothes from his parents’ landlord.

The boy pleaded guilty and Mr Ndhlovu initially remanded him out of custody to Friday but his father refused to take him home saying he could steal from him again.

The court was forced to remand the boy in custody but at Percy Ibbotson Remand Home.

In a warned and cautioned statement, the boy admitted that he stole the money.

“I took my father’s money. I used the money to buy clothes and beer for the party which was meant to spoil my friends,” said the boy.

For the State, Ms Margaret Takawira said: “On an unknown date, the juvenile broke a locked safe where his father kept the money.

‘‘The minor’s father is based in the United Kingdom and had visited his family for the holidays.”

She said the boy stole $2 200 and went on a spending spree buying his friends clothes and also sponsoring a party.

Ms Takawira said the father who wanted to use the money to buy building materials, was keeping the money in a locked cashbox in his bedroom.

The court heard that on December 9 the boy’s father opened the safe and discovered that only $300 was left.

When his mother confronted him, the boy confessed to stealing the money and squandering it with friends.

On the second count, the minor after returning from the vuzu party allegedly stole another $100 from his father and disappeared from home.

The teen’s father later reported him to the police leading to his arrest.

The total value of stolen cash is $2 300 and only $220 was recovered.

@andile_tshuma