‘Send me to the bush’

Gwanda Correspondent
A GWANDA man brought a lighter moment to court yesterday when he requested the magistrate to sentence him to perform community service in the bush.
Rodrick Hove, 19, of Jahunda Township pleaded guilty to stealing a cellphone and $30 before asking magistrate Sheila Nazombe to allow him to serve his sentence in a place where there was nothing to steal.

“Your worship, I would like to do community service at a place far from the town because in town there are lots of temptations. I don’t want to be tempted to steal again,” said Hove. He had initially preferred being sent to Mount Cazalet Primary School but changed his mind saying he had realised he could be tempted to steal school property and pupils’ lunchboxes and satchels.

“I would rather be sent to do some work in a bush where there are no temptations,” said Hove. He said his dream was to become a driver and that the cellphone and $30 he stole were ways of raising money for a driver’s licence.

Nazombe sentenced him to six-months in prison for stealing a cellphone and conditionally suspended two months. The remaining four months were wholly suspended on condition he performed 140 hours community service at Gwanda Magistrates Court starting tomorrow. Hove was also given a wholly suspended 60-day jail sentence on condition he restituted the $30 by June 30 through the Gwanda clerk of court.

Prosecutor Edward Ndlovu said Hove committed the two offences on April 25 and 26 this year.