Didn’t know OK has guards: Soldier’s excuse for stealing cigarettes

By Shakespeare Muzavazi

Masvingo-In an incident that comes as a disgrace to Zimbabwe’s uniformed forces, a military man was recently nabbed for stealing 60 cigarettes.

Johannes Mudzviti (26) who works as a soldier at 4.3 Infantry Brigade was today slapped with a 30 day jail term or to pay $75 for theft.

Magistrate Peter Madhibha ordered Mudzviti to pay a fine of $75 which is equivalent to the price of 50 packets of cigarettes because he committed the crime for leisure since he could afford to pay for the stolen cigarettes.

For the state, Fidelis Nyamundiwa told the court that on the 29th  of April 2017, Mudzviti went into OK Supermarket as a customer and picked 20 Madison cigarettes and two by 20 Everest and put it in his jean trouser pockets.

He proceeded to exit the door without paying and was apprehended by Chemist Mugwede, a security guard at OK.

Mudzviti pleaded guilty saying he committed the crime because he didn’t know that OK supermarket has security guards.