A man who claimed to be the husband of a woman who had just been sentenced to five years in jail for illegally dealing in gold, stunned the court when he stood up to protest against the verdict.
Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove sentenced Sitshengisiwe Ncube (46) to an effective five-year jail term despite pleading not guilty to illegal dealing or possession of gold.
Soon after Mushove passed the sentence at the Tredgold Magistrates’ court, a man whose name could not be obtained stood up and protested.
“You cannot sentence my wife to such a long jail term,” shouted the man.
He was silenced by the magistrate who threatened to lock him up as well if he interfered with court process.
Earlier, the court heard that on a date unknown last year, Ncube, who is not licensed to deal in gold, obtained 219,39g of gold from Queens L Mine belonging to Jameson Enock Mhande, but situated in her plot in Matabeleland North.
She took the gold to Fidelity Printers and Refiners where she sold it for $18 709 using Mhande’s licence.
In October last year, detectives from the police’s Minerals Unit in Bulawayo got wind of the clandestine deal and went to Ncube’s plot where they asked her to produce her gold dealing licence, but she failed.
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A search was conducted at her premises, leading to the recovery of Fidelity Printers and Refiners receipts showing she had sold gold to the institution.
Detectives recovered certificate of registration belonging to Mhande, which led to Ncube’s arrest.
