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Nyasha Mapasa Manicaland Correspondent
A housemaid who stole her employer’s property worth over $4 000 has been ordered to perform 140 hours of community service at a local school.

Rutendo Mwanaka (21) of Hakuzivi Village under Chief Mutasa was convicted of theft as defined in Section 113(1) (a) of the Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 9:23) when she appeared before Mutare magistrate Mrs Purity Gumbo.

Prosecutor Mr Chris Munyuku managed to convince the court that at an unknown date in March this year at house number 1 Murambi in Mutare, Mwanaka took advantage of her employer, Mrs Esther Matondo’s, absence to steal her property.

“Mwanaka stole property which she later sold,” said Mr Munyuku.

She was arrested in July and property worth $1 115 was recovered.

Ms Gumbo sentenced Mwanaka to eight months imprisonment before suspending two months on condition she does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

The other two months were suspended on condition that she restitutes the complainant $2 320.

She will do unpaid work at Chinyamahumwe Primary School.