A 21-year-old schoolboy appeared before the magistrate’s court after he was arrested for stealing E6 200 from his aunt and using the money to pay for a school trip.
The Form V pupil was charged with housebreaking with intent to steal and theft as he appeared before Magistrate Thulani Dlamini.
He was said to have wrongfully and unlawfully stolen the said amount of money belonging to his aunt. He pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read to him. The crown, which was represented by Prosecutor Celumusa Dlamini, accepted the plea without leading evidence to prove commission of the offence. Dlamini however submitted that a sum of E860 was recovered from the accused.
Meanwhile, the accused mitigated and asked the court to be lenient when passing sentence.
He told the court that he was desperate to pay for his school trip which was scheduled for the end of the second term.
The accused stated that his father could not afford to pay for the school trip as he was only employed as a security guard around their home area and was already struggling to pay for his school fees. The boy stated that he also used part of the money to buy a cellphone which he needed to use when researching for school assignments.
He told the court that he has made a commitment to pay back the money. He stated that his father would assist him to repay the money. At this moment, the court called the accused’s father forward to state his side on the matter.
The father confirmed that he was employed as a security guard, and that he used almost all his salary to pay for his children’s school fees. He also confirmed that they have deliberated on the matter as a family and agreed that he would assist his son to pay back the money.
The court therefore deferred sentencing to December 10, which is at the end of the school calendar. In the meantime, the accused was ordered to compensate the complainant.
