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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 49-year-old Zimbabwean man who was staying illegally in Botswana teamed up with his 18-year-old nephew and allegedly stole property worth 20,000 pula from his former employer.Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa heard how Josphat Ngwenya lured Khalimani Dube to illegally cross the border under the pretext of securing him employment in the neighbouring country.
On reaching Botswana, Ngwenya convinced his nephew to help him rob his former employer Mmereki Dikeledi, 58, of Sekukwe area as he owed him money. The pair stole property worth P20,043 during the complainant’s absence. They then fled into Zimbabwe.
Prosecuting, Medica Tshuma said: “The accused persons in this case are both from Mphoengs area in Mangwe District. On an unknown date the two accused persons illegally crossed the border into Botswana,” he said.
“On October 29 at around 5pm they broke into the house of Dikeledi who was Ngwenya’s employer early this year and they stole property worth P20,043 and illegally crossed the border back into the country on the same day.”
Tshuma said the matter was discovered by the complainant’s relative Kebaletswe Motsamai around 6pm and he reported the matter to Botswana police who tracked the accused persons up to a section of the Zimbabwe-Botswana boundary.
He said: “The matter was then reported to police officers in Mphoengs who received a tip-off from community members on the whereabouts of Ngwenya and his nephew which led to their arrest.”
The property stolen includes groceries, clothing and electric appliances. Ngwenya denied the charges while his nephew pleaded guilty.
In mitigation, Dube told the court that his uncle convinced him to cross the border illegally after assuring him of employment in the neighbouring country.
“My uncle has been employed in Botswana for a while now and he told me that he had secured a job for me in the neighbouring country. We did not have travelling documents that is why we illegally crossed the border,” he said.
Dube added: “Upon reaching the neighbouring country he told me that he wanted me to assist him with a piece job before he could refer me to the actual job he had promised me. The ‘piece’ job which he was talking about was stealing from his former employer he claimed owed him money.”
The pair was remanded in custody to tomorrow.
Online Reporter