A family in Victoria Falls discovered that their tenant had been stealing money from them for two years.
A heavily pregnant Lenience Gambiza, 21, and her husband Moses Mathe, started renting at Charles Mandishara’s house in Mfelandawonye (Mkhosana) two years ago.
Mandishara and his wife discovered on May 7 this year that Gambiza had been sneaking into their bedroom to steal money after she was caught red-handed with US$420 and Z$47 which she had hidden in her undergarment.
After getting caught, Gambiza started screaming claiming she had seen a goblin in the landlord’s kitchen and pretended to have suffered a seizure.
Initially, Mandishara and his wife believed the story but after seeing that their money was missing, they suspected that Gambiza had stolen it and reported the matter to the police who searched and recovered the money in her panties.
Mandishara told police that for two years, they would miss up to US$200 per month in the house but did not suspect their tenants.
Gambiza initially pleaded not guilty to theft when she appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa but later pleaded guilty on the advice of a lawyer, Njabulo Ndlovu she had engaged.
The magistrate sentenced her to 12 months in jail which was wholly suspended on condition that she does not commit a similar offence involving dishonesty or theft within five years. The magistrate considered that she was pregnant in sentencing her.
The charge was in relation to theft of US$420 and Z$47 that she was caught with, The Chronicle reports.
