GOKWE – Two youths from Harare and Chitungwiza who terrorised revellers at the recent Unity Gala held in Gokwe by engaging in a cellphone stealing spree appeared in court on Friday last week facing theft charges. REPORT BY SILAS NKALA
Aleck Zhanda (23) of Mabvuku, Harare, and Clayton Petro (19) of Chitungwiza pleaded guilty to eight counts of theft when they appeared before Gokwe resident magistrate Shepard Mjanja.
The magistrate remanded them in custody to January 4 for sentence after Petro claimed to be 17 years old.
The magistrate ordered that an expert in age estimation be engaged to determine Petro’s age before sentence could be passed.
The court heard that at the December 14 gig held at the Vendors Ground, musicians and presenters would throw T-shirts to the crowd and fans jostled to grab them.
Zhanda and Petro took advantage of the jostling to search the revellers’ pockets and stole cellphones worth $328.
It is the state case that they stole two cellphones from Akin Lunga of Chief Njelele in Gokwe.
They also stole phones from George Chikoja, Bruce Bindiko, Talent Mugonda, Affarat Matshayiphanga, John Makuyana and Burzil Hanyiwa all from the Gokwe district.
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They were arrested after they were found in possession of the cellphones.
All the stolen cellphones were recovered.
