A Bulawayo man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing US$900 from his girlfriend. Nqabutho Ncube, 34, pleaded guilty to the theft at the Bulawayo Magistrates Court.
His actions, which included a hasty escape to South Africa, have brought the issue of trust and betrayal in relationships sharply into focus.
The theft occurred on April 12th in the Makokoba suburb of Bulawayo. Ncube and his girlfriend, Nyasha Nyamasakura, 41, had been living together for approximately two years.
While Nyamasakura was at work, Ncube took advantage of her absence. He helped himself to the US$900 kept at their home before fleeing to South Africa.
Nyamasakura returned home later that day to find her partner and her money gone. She immediately noticed that Ncube’s clothes were also missing, adding to her growing suspicion. Unable to reach Ncube by phone, she checked under the mattress where she usually kept her savings. Finding the money missing confirmed her fears.
Concerned and distraught, Nyamasakura wasted no time in reporting the theft to the Bulawayo police. The subsequent investigation led to Ncube’s arrest upon his return from South Africa. The court heard that he had spent the stolen money during his time abroad.
Appearing before the magistrate, Ncube admitted his guilt. The court handed down an 18-month prison sentence. However, a significant portion of this sentence was suspended under certain conditions.
Six months of the sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour. A further six months were suspended on condition that Ncube repays the full US$900 to Nyamasakura by October 30th.
This leaves only six months of the original sentence to be served. The court further commuted this remaining six months to 410 hours of community service.
