The shoplifting case against a Department of culture, sport and recreation worker based at the Barberton Museum was postponed to April 30 after he appeared briefly in the Barberton Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.
Joel Nkomo, who works as the general foreman at the museum, was arrested on April 4 after allegedly stealing a R8,99 glue stick at Barberton Shoprite-Checkers Supermarket.
He was arrested by Civa security officers after he was spotted by operators in the camera room on the close circuit television system.
Nkomo, who was on duty at the time of his arrest, had been send to Shoprite to buy milk.
Nkomo allegedly put the glue stick in his pocket and allegedly only paid for the milk.
He was apprehended upon his exit. According to witnesses Nkomo allegedly caused a scene when he was approached by the security officers to be searched.
According to a worker at the retail store, who can’t be named, Nkomo, who is a former security officer with Security Service Company, at first declined to be searched.And when he realised that there was no escape, he threw the stolen item on the ground.”
Nkomo was arrested by the Barberton SAPS.
Nkomo was apparently saved by a colleague from spending a weekend in the cells after she negotiated for him to be released on R300 bail. He first made his court appearance on Monday, April 7 where he was formally charged with shoplifting.
In a telephone conversation with Barberton Times, Nkomo, who resides in KaNyamazane and commute to work daily, pleaded with this reporter not to publish the story as it will taint his image. He said he was not guilty as he he had not yet been proven so by the court.
“Please don’t print that article because I never stole did not steal anything. And what if you publish the story and the court find me not guilty later? The story will taint my image and I promise, I can sue you if you ever publish the story and the court later acquits me,” said Nkomo.
