Sandwich stolen at work 

I am an employee at a prestigious accounting firm. Every morning, my colleagues and I bring breakfast snacks for our tea break. I usually carry an expensive, decadent cake and sandwiches made by my wife, who is a chef at a five-star hotel. Many times, when I have brought plenty, I share with my colleagues, and they often praise my wife’s cooking. One day, I brought just one slice of a sandwich, which was impossible to share. To avoid my colleagues begging, I decided to store it in the office fridge and have it later. When I finally chose to have my tea, I discovered that the sandwich had vanished. I was so hungry that day, so I checked the security footage to find the culprit. What I saw was astonishing. The footage revealed that my colleague, a respected lady, had taken it. When I confronted her, she claimed it was ‘abandoned property’ since the tea hour had already passed. Losing my beloved sandwich has me wondering whether taking someone else’s food constitutes theft. Please guide me.
MS, Dar es Salaam

We are sorry to hear about this and can imagine your frustration. In Tanzania, taking someone’s property without their consent may constitute theft. Section 258 of the Penal Code, Cap. 16 [R.E 2022] (Penal Code) generally defines theft as dishonestly taking property belonging to another with the intent to deprive them of it permanently. Further, section 265 of the Penal Code provides that any person who steals anything capable of being stolen is guilty of theft and is liable, unless owing to the circumstances of the theft or the nature of the thing stolen, some other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for 7 years. In your context, the sandwich was a personal property since food is generally considered tangible personal property. This means it’s a physical item that you can own and control.

We understand your disappointment and hope that you can amicably settle this with your colleague. Should you want to escalate the matter, consult a lawyer for further guidance.