A woman with a finer taste in life, was convicted for stealing Jacobs Coffee.
Nothando Nxumalo (45) from Nkwalini Zone 4, stole four Jacobs coffee tins, each worth E150, and one Infacare baby milk worth E75, all valued at E675.
She appeared at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court. The offence was committed in one of the shops at Sidwashini.
The Senior Magistrate Sifiso Vilakati asked where she was taking the items or if she intended to sell them, and in response Nxumalo said, she stole the items to provide for her children at home.
The stolen items were recovered and presented as evidence before the magistrate. The magistrate enquired about the reaction of Nxumalo’s children to her arrest.
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She replied that they were crying and that she had been tempted to steal.
Vilakati advised her to stop stealing and further asked if this was her first arrest for theft.
Nxumalo admitted that it was not and revealed a previous arrest with a friend, although she claimed to be innocent in that incident and her friend was the one who had shoplifted.
The magistrate questioned how she could have been arrested if she had not stolen. When asked if she had appeared in other courts, such as Manzini, Nhlangano, Siteki or Pigg’s Peak, Nxumalo said no and stated that she had only appeared at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court.
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On October 19, 2024, Nxumalo was accused of stealing four 200g Jacobs coffee tins and one Infacare baby milk tin, belonging to Akhtar Bhagubhai. She was charged with theft (shoplifting) and pleaded guilty.
Vilakati sentenced Nxumalo to two years imprisonment, with an option of paying a E2 000 fine.
