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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
A medical doctor Paul Kadungure yesterday pleaded guilty to shoplifting after he was caught stealing groceries worth US$91 at OK Zimbabwe Fife Avenue Shopping Centre.

He blamed his actions on the “state of the mind” at the time he committed the crime.

Kadungure (32) of number 725 Excett Building, City Doctors, Robert Mugabe Way in Harare pleaded guilty to theft.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Nomsa Sabarauta and will be sentenced today after the State asked for time to gather Kadungure’s previous convictions.

In mitigation, Kadungure told the court that it was not his intention to steal from the supermarket, but his state of mind at that time caused him to pass the till with the groceries without paying.

“I offered to pay for the groceries because I had the money, but they insisted on arresting me,” he said.

“I am the breadwinner and I look after my bed-ridden mother. I am married and have a newborn baby.”

Prosecutor Ms Shambadzeni Fungura, told the court that Kadungure recently appeared in court for stealing groceries at one of the Spar Supermarkets and he is suspected of having committed similar offences.

The court heard that on Monday, Kadungure entered OK Zimbabwe Fife Avenue and loaded into a trolley 12 canned Castle lagers, two bottles of Viceroy brandy, five packs of goat chop, Probrands lemon and lime, a kilogramme of onions, chicken cutlets, pork leg chops, Irvine’s shrink eggs, a kilogramme of tomatoes, Kleenex baby soft, beef short ribs, pork shoulder chops, brisket and Chakalaka Boerewors.

Kadungure briefly left the trolley and took a moojoos daily pine and one carrier bag to the till and paid US$0,60.

After paying for the two items, he went back for the trolley and pushed it towards the exit.

At the exit point he showed the security guard the US$0,60 receipt for the two items and immediately a close circuit television monitor alerted the guard.

Kadungure was arrested and the groceries worth US$91,43 were recovered.