By A Correspondent
A 28-year-old shift manager at Baker’s Inn, William Gonese, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for stealing US$3,420 from his workplace to fund online betting. Gonese, who was convicted after pleading guilty to theft, will serve an effective 10-month prison term.
According to court records, Gonese stole the money during a single night shift, hoping to win enough through online betting on a platform called Aviator to repay the money and impress his new wife. However, his plan backfired, and he lost the entire amount.
Gonese was entrusted with a float of US$3,420 to serve customers at a Baker’s Inn outlet on Chinhoyi Street in Harare. However, by the next day, he called the Simbisa Bakers Inn Audit Manager, Yusuf Bruce, and confessed to losing US$470 in cash and US$2,950 in InnBucks deposits through online betting.
A reconciliation at the shop confirmed that the full amount of US$3,420 had been misappropriated. Gonese was initially sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, but 12 months were suspended on condition of good behavior, and another 10 months were suspended on condition that he repay the stolen money to his employer.