Online Reporter
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BULAWAYO commuters and parcel senders got more than just a delay this week after a 61-year-old Inter Africa Bus Company driver found himself in hot water for failing to deliver a suitcase to its rightful owner.
Japhet Lunga, who appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Maxwell Ncube, was slapped with a $300 fine for his bungling, with a stern warning that failure to pay would land him behind bars for five months. Two of those months were suspended on condition that he made restitution to the complainant.
According to Prosecutor Mehluli Ndlovu, the saga began on 3 August 2024, when Lunga received a suitcase from Nhlalwenhliwe Pamela Moyo’s daughter in Harare. The parcel was meant for Moyo, a teacher at DLM Primary School in Ntabazinduna, but things went sideways fast.
The very next day, Moyo went to the Inter Africa garage in Bulawayo to collect her belongings, only to be greeted by a clueless security guard who informed her that Lunga had apparently taken off to Victoria Falls. Attempts to reach him by phone were futile, leaving Moyo in limbo over her $105 suitcase.
Nothing was recovered, leaving the court with little choice but to penalise the driver while stressing the importance of accountability.
Magistrate Ncube expressed frustration at the careless handling of parcels, warning that negligence in transport services could not be taken lightly. “Passengers and clients trust service providers to deliver their property safely. Such carelessness will attract both fines and jail time if repeated,” he said.
Lunga accepted the judgment quietly, with little explanation for his mysterious Victoria Falls detour that left a teacher suitcase-less and frustrated.
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