A mother and her son have been arrested after allegedly stealing a bank card and using it to purchase alcohol through unauthorised transactions.
Delisile Lukhele (46) and her son, Zakhele Mdluli (26), both from Zakhele, appeared before Magistrate Sebendzile Ndlela at the Manzini Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where they were charged with theft.
The pair is accused of committing the offence on Saturday, at Zakhele in the Manzini District.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons, acting either individually or jointly and in furtherance of a common purpose, allegedly stole a Standard Bank credit card belonging to or lawfully in the possession of Celumusa Dlamini.
They are further accused of conducting unauthorised transactions amounting to E886.96 using the card.
Both Lukhele and Mdluli elected to represent themselves and pleaded guilty after the charge was explained to them.
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Dlamini told the court that he was a groundsman by profession and that he lost his bank card, which had approximately E21 000 in the account, while drinking alcohol at a bar in Zakhele.
He said he later reported the matter to the police, who conducted investigations that led to the arrest of the accused.
Lukhele alleged that she found the bank card discarded in mud near the bar and took it home.
She claimed that the following morning, she sent her son to nearby shops to test whether the card was still operational by purchasing cooking oil and alcohol, as she was nursing a hangover from the previous night.
This, she said, her son did through an electronic transaction.
She further told the court that after discovering that the card was functional, her son proceeded to buy additional alcohol for himself, stating that he was also craving same.
The matter was adjourned to Thursday for continuation at the Manzini Magistrate’s Court.
