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Patient Sibanda Court Reporter—
A SOLDIER lost $700, some of it his bonus, to three pickpockets at a city restaurant. Jethro Marwenze of Bulawayo’s Mpopoma suburb — who is stationed at HQ1 Brigade — was buying food at Golden Grill restaurant when Phathisani Dube, 24, Walter Ndebele, 26, and Nkosilathi Masuku, 35, all from Pumula South suburb searched his pockets and fished out the money.

The incident occurred hours after Marwenze received his 13th cheque on Tuesday. Dube, Ndebele and Masuku appeared before magistrate Tinashe Tashaya facing a charge of theft.

They pleaded guilty. “I admit that we searched him. When the police caught us we had already spent about $200,” said Dube. Magistrate Tashaya remanded them out of custody to February 22, 2016 for sentencing.

“When you come for your sentencing on Monday make sure you bring the rest of the complainant’s money,” he said. Prosecuting, Taurai Hondoyemoto told the court that on Tuesday at around 3AM Dube, Ndebele and Masuku picked Marwenze’s pocket as he was buying food.

“They took $700 from his pocket. The complainant realised that they had searched him. “He confronted them and they ran out of the restaurant. The complainant gave chase but failed to catch them. He reported to the police and about $413 was recovered after the trio was arrested,” said the prosecutor.