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Kudzai Chikiwa and Michelle Gwizi, Court Reporters
A BULAWAYO man facing five counts of unlawful entry and theft, who escaped from Bulawayo Prison last week, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.

The diminutive Desire Nyandoro (18) was initially tried as a juvenile after he lied that he was 13-years-old.

Under cross examination, he inadvertently let out that he turned 18 in July this year.

Nyandoro has allegedly been appearing in court almost every month this year for unlawful entry and theft cases.

He pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody and unlawful entry into premises before Bulawayo Magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya.

Prosecuting, Mr Taurai Hondoyemoto said: “On 20 August 2018, Nyandoro was detained at Bulawayo Prison for stealing a camera worth $400 from the MDC offices located along Herbert Chitepo and he escaped through the security fence into a sanitary lane.

“Police officer Godfrey Makeche was feeding Nyandoro since he was deployed at Detention Room. He escorted the accused to drink some water from the tap and he suddenly bolted from the security fence into the sanitary lane”.

Mr Hondoyemoto said Nyandoro unlawfully entered the MDC offices and stole a Nikon D5100 camera worth $400 and was arrested.

On one of his charges, Nyandoro allegedly stole a cellphone from a police officer at Ross Camp early this year and escaped without being caught.

The court did not specify other cases of unlawful entry but mentioned that the accused has been appearing in court almost every month since the beginning of the year.

Magistrate Mr Tashaya said: “The court usually spares youthful offenders but Nyandoro had become a habitual offender.

“The court used to caution you thinking you were a juvenile but since you mentioned you turned 18 in July, you are now liable to imprisonment.

“At your tender age you have turned into a criminal, it appears you have turned theft into a business enterprise. This time the law won’t spare you’.

The magistrate said Nyandoro has become a threat to people’s property. — @tamary98