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MBABANE — Hloniphani Ndebele, a footballer known for his appetising skills on the field of play, was caught on the wrong side of the law for stealing a E25 (R25) chocolate at Shoprite Supermarket in Mbabane.
The incident occurred last Thursday evening and he appeared in court on Friday before Mbabane Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini, charged for stealing a Cadbury chocolate. In Zimbabwe, Ndebele played for Highlanders and Railstars.
He pleaded guilty to the theft charge. In mitigation of the sentence, Ndebele pleaded for leniency, stating that he had no intention to commit the offence. He promised the court that he would never repeat the same mistake again.
In view of the circumstance, magistrate Mbutfo Dlamini sentenced Ndebele to two months imprisonment with the option to pay E200 fine. Before the commencement of the case in court, Midas City coach Caleb Ngwenya was spotted among those who were seated at the public gallery, but left shortly after the player was sentenced.
Shortly after his conviction, Ndebele snatched a reporter’s notebook and tore the page where the information concerning his case was written.
He was caught red handed by the police officer with the paper which he had put in his pocket.
The officer of the law instructed him to return the spoilt paper to where he took it. When approached by the reporter, Ndebele frowned without uttering any word.
At the time of compiling the report, he had not paid the fine as he was taken back to the police station.
—Times of Swaziland.
Bongani Ndlovu