Mbabane – Antonio Amando, a bricklayer, appeared before the Mbabane Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi on a housebreaking and theft charge involving items valued at E62 950, including E19 000 cash and a MacBook laptop.
Amando pleaded guilty to the charge and was self represented. He told the court that he needed money to pay his rent after he lost his job and had been unemployed for three months.
“I broke through a window, got inside, and took the items. The E19 000 was in a box, and I only discovered the money when I reached my house,” he said.
Nhlabatsi further asked him when he intended to compensate the complainant. Antonio said he does not know when he would be able to pay back the money.
“You will call your friends and family, and the court will only give you seven days to gather the money. You must also remember that we are going into the holidays as you try to recover what you stole from the complainant,” Nhlabatsi said.
She added that the court would remand him in custody, stating that it could not supervise him while he was outside. The matter was postponed to December 18 for continuation and for Antonio to begin compensating the complainant.
Discussion about this post