Youngest sibling takes fall for brothers

The youngest among four siblings says he took the fall for a crime he committed with his brothers because he could not let his siblings go to jail.

Japhet Nhatu, 25, with his three brothers went to rob a mine site in Venice, Kadoma last year in February where illegal miners ply their trade.

The quartet managed to get away with 85 grammes of gold stones which they sold and shared $350 each.

The four then went back to the same area to spend the money and that’s how they were identified.

“We went to rob these guys of their gold ore because they had denied us an opportunity to get ore at that mine so we opted to rob them.

“We robbed them around 2am and got away with 85 grams of gold stones, we only got caught because we went to spend money at the same area we had done the robbery.

“The complainants identified me more since I was leading, when the issue was taken to court I decided to save my brothers because we could not all go to jail.

“I told the magistrate we were not together and on 7 March 2017 I was sentenced to five years in prison.”

Nhatu says he sometimes feels betrayed by his brothers but understands their situation.

“I feel betrayed sometimes when my brothers don’t visit me in a long time but I understand their situation because life yechikorokoza yakaoma because vanhu vanogara vachifamba and sometimes they might be far from me.”

He said after his release on October 17 he will first return home in Zhombe to see his parents and then continue with illegal mining but not with his brothers.

“I want to see my parents’ first then return to my usual business but this time I won’t join my brothers because I don’t want to fall in the same trap again.

“I just want to live my life without any crime,” he said.

His five-year sentence was shortened by the removal of other years by the court – one year, amnesty-six months, restitution -11 months and jail – one year. H-Metro.