By Nhlalwenhle Ncube
A Zvishavane-based businessman was left counting his losses after a cross-border transporter popularly known as umalayitsha robbed him of $7 400.
He was expected to smuggle the stock from South Africa. After being given $7 400 for groceries, Chidhakwa never returned and he stopped taking calls from Tarusarira.
However, after being on the run for three months, Chidhakwa was caught by other cross border transporters who then took him to Zvishavane police. Chidhakwa appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Lynn Manyika facing theft charges as defined in Section 113(2) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
Prosecutor Monica Mungwena told the court that on 24 November 2016, a Zvishavane businessman Tarusarira gave Chidhakwa, who smuggles grocery items into the country, $7 400 so he could bring him the goods from South Africa.
Chidhakwa was supposed to return in two days as per agreement, but he never did.
Tarusarira’s efforts to locate him failed as he was also ignoring his calls.
He then informed other cross border transporters over Chidhakwa’s disappearance.
On 10 February some cross border transporters bumped into Chidhakwa at Nyanyadzi and enforced a citizen arrest before surrendering him to Zvishavane police.
The presiding magistrate convicted Chidhakwa on his own plea of guilty and he was slapped with 24 months imprisonment of which four months was suspended on condition of five years good behaviour.
Another four months was suspended on condition he repays the complainant and for the remaining 10 months he will perform 350 hours of community service. B-Metro