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TWO suspected cellphone thieves caused a stir at the Bulawayo magistrates court when they lashed out at a presiding magistrate for declining them bail.
Thabani Moyo (24) and his co-accused Brian Samson (26) of Njube and Nkulumane 5 suburbs respectively appeared before magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure on charges of stealing a cellphone at Club Royal on 7 August.
In defence, the two accused persons denied stealing the cellphone arguing it could have been stolen by other patrons.
The magistrate then ordered the pair to pay $30 bail each.
The unemployed men did not take kindly to the magistratea��s bail ruling and accused the judicial officer of being a�?unreasonablea�?.
a�?Ita��s not fair that we are being kept here for something that we did not even do and ita��s even worse as we have no one to bail us out. How are we expected to raise the money for bail while we are in remand prison?a�? thundered Moyo.
When his pleas failed to convince the magistrate to change herA� ruling Moyoa��s co-accusedA� Samson also weighed in, in an attempt to change Mashavakurea��s decision.
a�?I think you need to hear us out maa��am because if our release depends on bail money then we will be in remand prison forever. Our only chance of getting the money is if you set us free.
a�?This is as good as being denied a chance to clear our names and ita��s not fair,a�? said Samson.
The pair was remanded in custody to 26 August.
derick.khumalo