Bulawayo man busted with bullets!

A BULAWAYO caretaker tried to play it cool – until sharp eyes caught him slipping bullets from his pocket and hiding them at work. Now he’s lighter by US$200… and lucky to avoid jail!

Menzisi Sithole (54) of Iminyela suburb appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Maxwell Ncube, who slapped him with a US$200 fine after he pleaded guilty to illegally possessing two live rounds of ammunition without a firearms certificate.

The drama unfolded at a Hillside property where Sithole worked as a caretaker. On April 4 around 5PM, someone spotted him acting shady – fishing bullets out of his trousers and tucking them away in the guardroom like a secret stash.

Two days later, on April 6, another employee discovered the hidden ammo and immediately reported the find.

“The informant, who was on duty, stumbled on the two rounds and alerted superiors, who then called the police,” said prosecutor Ms Mufaro Ndirayire.

Sithole was arrested soon after and, according to the court, made no fuss – he admitted to it all.

He was fined US$200 or the ZWG equivalent through the clerk of court, with the fallback being three months behind bars if he fails to pay up. The bullets were forfeited to the State.

But this isn’t the first time a Bulawayo caretaker has had a run-in with hot ammo…

FLASHBACK: In a chilling 2021 case, police swooped on Langelihle Nyathi, a caretaker at Practical Pistol Club in Donnington, and found 441 rounds of ammunition in his possession. He was suspected of selling bullets to criminals, including possible armed robbers.

With live rounds showing up in unexpected places, authorities are urging the public to report any suspicious activity — before another round ends up in the wrong hands.