A Chipinge man was sentenced to an effective two years in prison after he broke into the home of a schoolteacher and stole the Holy Bible.
Dingani Mucheto (21) and Simon Gwenzi Chibhoso (19) of Musimbo village under Chief Mapungwana were sentenced for unlawful entry and theft by Chipinge magistrate Joshua Nembaware.
Prosecutor Timothy Katsande told the court that the duo broke into the home of Edith Kaziboni, a teacher at Mundanda Primary School and stole property worth $3 400 on 13 April.
Mucheto and Chibhoso were arrested following a tip-off from members of the public.
Investigations led to the recovery of some of the property and it was later revealed that Mucheto only stole the Bible.
Asked by Nembaware why he had stolen only the Bible, Mucheto said:
I stole the Bible because I just liked it. I fell in love with it, that is why I took it.
However, on convicting the pair, Nembaware noted that they were acting in common purpose.
He sentenced each of them to 36 months of which six were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The magistrate also suspended a further six months on condition they restitute the complainant jointly or severally, $2 600 through the Chipinge clerk of court on or before August 28 this year.