In court for stealing jack fruit, pork joint saucepans, convicted Ibanda men sentenced

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Four men have been convicted of stealing jackfruit, pork joint saucepans and bananas, among others and have been sentenced by the Ibanda Grade One magistrate’s court.

The court sentenced the convicts to community service orders, ranging from three to 15 days, working at the court premises. This was after the quartet pleaded guilty to different individual theft charges.

Moses Ayikiriza, 20, was sentenced to 15 days of community work for stealing a jackfruit and two bunches of bananas. But the sentence must have been like sweet music in his ears as he had prayed to the court for a lenient sentence of two months, saying he was sickly.

The convict faced two counts of theft for stealing the jack fruit from Denis Karugaba’s garden, and stealing one bunch of bananas from Gaudias Ahimbisibwe’s plantations in Kyaruhanga, Kagongo division on November 17 and another from Deogratias Mugisha.

He will, however, be arrested and jailed for 18 months if he does not serve the sentence.

Meanwhile, Osbert Niwenyesiiga, of Nyakatookye, Kagongo division, will serve 10 days of community service or one year in prison on default for stealing a mobile telephone from Muhammad Kiyimba, a workmate at a carpentry workshop in Ibanda town.

Likewise, Richard Tindyebwa of Mpiira Road in Ibanda town will work for the Government free of charge in the next 10 days for stealing saucepans, plates and jerrycans worth shillings 170,000 from Ferdinand Kiiza’s pork joint in Ibanda town.

Tindyebwa faces 10 years behind bars if he defaults.

He asked the court for the suspended maximum sentence, saying he will never steal again. 

Another confessed thief, Twaha Kezimbira, of Katooma, Kagongo Division, got three days of community work for stealing two basins of fresh beans (pods) from Alice Kemigisha, a neighbour. He faces six months in jail on default.

All the convicts will work for two hours each day of their community service sentences at the Ibanda chief magistrate’s court premises.

While handing down the sentences, her worship Edith Tusabe said she considered the fact that the convicts did not waste the court’s time and were all first-time offenders. Some had spent weeks on remand at Nyabuhikye Prison. Theft carries a maximum of 10 years in prison when proven guilty.