The love of beer has landed three thieves from Odzi in hot soup after they stole and drank a tobacco spraying chemical mistaking it for beer.
The trio, Lovemore Garudzo, Grand Garudzo and Prince Garudzo pleaded guilty to stealing from their uncle Elphas Mukurunge at his Whitgirl Farm in Odzi when they appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe facing charges of theft.
They were slapped with a three-year jail term but six months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition of good behavior, while another six months were suspended on condition that they restitute their uncle ZWL$3 000.
The state represented by Prosecutor John Munyurwa told the court that on June 26, the three broke into Mukurunge’s tuckshop and stole a water pump, five litres of petrol, tobacco chemicals, and other goods.
Mukurunge discovered the theft immediately and went to the accused persons’ homestead where he found the trio vomiting after taking in the chemical. He asked them about the theft and they denied the allegation.
The complainant, however, saw his water pump in a tobacco barn and made a police report. The trio then confessed the theft and revealed they were suffering from severe pains after drinking the tobacco chemical.
-Newsday
