(Last Updated on December 28, 2015 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – A thieving woman who gave a false name to the police and court during her trial will know her fate today when a Harare magistrate sentences her.
Tinashe Melisa Mutyenyoka, who also evaded performing unpaid work after her conviction on theft charges, admitted to the charges when she appeared before magistrate Arnold Maburo.
Melisa told the court that she committed the offense out of ignorance.
But her sentence was deferred to today after the State led by Isheanesu Mhiti made an application to have her matter postponed.
Prosecutor Mhiti said he wanted to check on whether Melisa had other previous convictions in which she was using other different names or not.
Melisa, who is facing supplying false information to the police and escaping from lawful custody, is in custody.
The court heard that sometime in October this year, Melisa was arrested on theft charges.
She then told police that her name was Tatenda Moyo before being taken to court on theft allegations.
Melisa pleaded guilty to the theft charges and was sentenced to six months in jail.
Three months of the jail term was set aside on condition that she does not commit a similar offence and the three month were suspended on condition that she performs 105 hours of community service.
She did not perform the community service as ordered by the court.
During the first week of this month, police were informed by her husband’s relatives that she gave a wrong name to the police upon her arrest.
The police was also informed that Melisa gave a wrong address and that he had not performed the community service.
Police details made some investigations and managed to track her down.
Melisa then attempted to flee when the police details approached her with intentions to arrest her.