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Melody Baya, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO woman had pleaded with a magistrate to jail her late sister’s 14-year-old son for stealing her two cell phones and $150.

Lindiwe Dzakatira, 43, of Old Pumula suburb told the provincial magistrate Abednico Ndebele that she could no longer be responsible for her nephew and the court should go ahead and jail him.

“This boy is problematic and I think it would be best if you send him to prison for his crime,” said Dzakatira.

The boy pleaded guilty to stealing the money but said he did not steal the two cell phones.

“I do admit to stealing the money but not the two cell phones. I used the money to buy soft drinks for resale at Plumtree border post.

After I stole the money I ran away and started selling drinks there,” said teenager.

The boy, who dropped out of school, said he came back to Bulawayo after he fell sick.

“I fell sick after I swallowed a metal object. It’s then that I decided to come back home and I was immediately arrested by the police,” he said.

The teenager was remanded at the Luveve Remand Centre to April 7.

Prosecuting, Stewart Madzore said that on October 17, 2015, at around 11PM Dzakatira gave the boy money to buy cigarettes for her husband at Old Pumula shops.

“The complainant waited for accused person but he did not come back. She went to look for him at the shops but did not find him,” said Madzore.

The prosecutor said Dzakatira searched the house and discovered that her two Samsung cell phones and money had been stolen.

The court heard after some days Dzakatira was informed that the boy was in Kadoma by an individual whose name could not be established.