Man uses jailed workmate’s ID to buy on credit

Lindani Dube Hwange Court Correspondent
A 27-YEAR-OLD Hwange man has been sentenced to nine-months in jail after he bought a laptop on credit using his workmate’s particulars. Jacob Mbaita of Number 756 Empumalanga suburb and an employee of the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment was convicted on his own plea by Hwange resident magistrate, Portia Mhlanga.

Mbaita will, however, serve an efective six months in prison after three months were conditionally suspended.
Prosecuting, Tinomupeyi Mbiza said on July 11 last year Mbaita, a human resources assistant, used Japhet Shoko’s details to buy a laptop on credit from a Harare company.

The court heard that Shoko, whose salary had not been stopped, was serving an eight-month jail sentence at Victoria Falls prison.
Mbiza said Mbaita claimed he was Shoko and he then bought an Acer laptop on credit.

“The company then deducted $39.68 monthly from October 2013 to March this year from Shoko’s salary,” Mbiza said.
In mitigation Mbaita said he had made an undertaking to reimburse Shoko his money.