Woman miscarries after husband’s conviction

This happened at about 10am when Thamsanqa Moyo (32) was in the dock answering charges of breaking into his employer’s house where he stole property worth R1 000.

Moyo pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted by Mrs Thobekile Mkhosana-Matimbe. As soon as the magistrate announced that she had found him guilty and said she would pronounce the sentence at 2pm, his pregnant wife, who was seated in the gallery, started having labour pains.

Relatives who had accompanied her to the court had to hire a taxi to take her to hospital where the miscarriage was confirmed. Although the paper could not verify at what stage the pregnancy was, it was already visible.

The relatives later came back to court in the afternoon before Moyo was sentenced and advised a court official about the matter, who in turn advised them to tell her husband.

Moyo, of Park Road, Suburbs, employed as a guard by the complainant was convicted on his own plea of guilty to unlawful entry as defined by the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

He was sentenced to five years in prison of which two years were suspended on condition of good behaviour. In mitigation, Moyo said he stole the property so that he could raise money for rent.

“I wanted to raise money for rent. I earn 200 rand per week but at times I don’t get paid because there is not fixed date of payment. As I speak I have not been paid for two months,” said Moyo.

Miss Pauline Watambwa for the State told the court that between July and August, Moyo who was a guard at the complainant Prateek Dhirajal Anand’s house, broke a windowpane to the main house and removed a burglar bar to gain entry.

While inside, he stole a satchel, several pairs of bed sheets and clothes valued at R1 000. The complainant, who is always in and out of the country, later discovered that a windowpane had been broken. He checked for his property and found some missing.

He reported the matter to the police and investigations were instituted, leading to Moyo’s arrest and the recovery of all the stolen property.