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Brenda Zinyuke, Court Reporter

A MAN from Bulawayo stole 40kg of Ngwerewere super refined mealie meal at Blue Ribbon Foods where he was employed.

Elvis Maroro (23) of Njube suburb stole from the company located in Belmont area.

Maroro pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure.

He told the court that he was mugged by robbers who took his belongings and this forced him to steal from his employer.

Maroro said he intended to sell some of the mealie meal and raise money to among others replace his national identity card.

He pleaded with Ms Mbeure to show compassion saying he will never commit a similar offence again.

The magistrate fined him $500 and he risks being jailed for weeks if does not pay the fine.

The magistrate said he had considered that Maroro is a family man who had pleaded guilty to the charge without wasting the court’s time.

Prosecuting, Mr Denmark Chihombe said on Sunday last week between 7AM and 7PM, Maroro stole 40 kilograms of mealie meal from Blue Ribbon Foods.

“The accused person stole 4X10kilogrammes of Ngwerewere super refined mealie meal and on his way out, he was seen by two security guards from Fawcett Security company manning the area carrying the stolen mealie meal,” he said.

Maroro allegedly failed to account for the mealie meal and this led to his arrest.

The total value of the stolen mealie meal is $660 and all was recovered.

-@zinyuke98