An ex-convict, once sentenced to 18 months in prison for fraud, was last week slapped with a three-year jail term for robbing a Bulawayo man of $120 in the city centre.
Lameck Dube, of Old Pumula, was convicted of the charge despite his plea of not guilty when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Rose Dube. Six months of his sentence were conditionally suspended for five years.
Prosecutor Robin Mukura told the court on August 1, Dube and his alleged accomplice John Mwale met the complainant, Njongenhle Mlotshwa, in the city centre and asked him to guard their vehicle, which they claimed contained valuables.
Mwale is still at large.
Unsuspecting, Mlotshwa agreed and Dube asked him to surrender the $120 cash he had on him as security in the event he stole the property inside the car.
Mlotshwa complied and put his money in an envelope and handed it to Dube.
Dube signed and returned it to him. However, Mlotshwa became suspicious and opened the envelope which had been handed back to him and discovered it contained pieces of newspapers cut to the size of bank notes.
He demanded his money back, but the pair became violent and started assaulting him.
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A police officer who was observing the drama from a distance came to Mlotshwa’s rescue and managed to arrest Dube, but Mwale fled. Police recovered only $18.
