Unpaid council worker steals water pump to pay mother in-law’s medical bill

By Samson Muchirahondo

As the Zimbabwean economic quagmire continues to hit hard on the populace, an unpaid Shurugwi Town Council employee was recently arraigned before the courts for stealing a water pump to raise money to pay for his mother-in-laws medical bill.

Subsequent to thorough questioning by Shurugwi Resident Magistrate Mr Sangster Tavengwa, Chester Nyebera (36) confessed that Shurugwi Town Council had not paid him his July salary and this prompted him to steal a water pump so that he could pay for his mother in-laws medical bill.

Nyebera was facing Charges of theft as defined in Section 113 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform act chapter 9:23.

Prosecuting, Mrs Bertha Bore told the court that on July 13, 2018 at house number 328 Makusha Shurugwi, Chester Nyebera unlawfully took one 6,5 horsepower water pump that belonged Louis Rupundu Power.

Nyebera took the water pump and covered it with a blanket to avoid any suspicion of theft .The accused went on to sell the pump for $ USD20.

The person who bought the pump voluntarily handed it at Shurugwi Central Police Station after realizing that he had bought stolen property.

Magistrate Tavengwa sentenced Nyebera to 315 hours of community service.