Online Reporter
HE allegedly robbed a man . . . then used the stolen wallet to pay a fare in front of him.
There are master criminals, there are amateur criminals and then there are those who allegedly turn themselves in without even realising it.
If the Zimbabwe Republic Police account of events is anything to go by, a 32-year-old Lupane man may have earned himself a place in the hall of infamy as one of Zimbabwe’s dumbest criminals.
According to the police, Thulani Mkandla allegedly teamed up with an accomplice, who is still being sought, to rob a man at the Lupane Business Centre around 4am recently.
The complainant was allegedly attacked before the pair made off with a wallet containing US$232 and personal documents.
One would have thought the muggers would disappear into the darkness, keep a low profile and never cross paths with the victim again.
Apparently, that plan only survived until sunrise. The police say Mkandla later boarded a mushikashika heading for Ndlovu village.
Whether it was fate, coincidence or simply spectacular bad luck, the complainant also happened to be travelling in the same vehicle.
Neither passenger appears to have realised the significance of the journey until the conductor called for fares.
Faced with the routine request for payment, Mkandla allegedly reached into his pocket and confidently produced a wallet. Unfortunately, it was not his own.
According to the police, it was the very wallet allegedly stolen from the complainant just hours earlier.
One can only imagine the awkward silence that must have followed as the complainant reportedly looked across, recognised the wallet, then recognised the man holding it.
At that point, the journey was no longer about getting to Ndlovu village.
Instead of completing the trip as an ordinary passenger, Mkandla allegedly found himself identified by the complainant on the spot, leading to his arrest.
His alleged accomplice, however, remains at large, with the police continuing investigations.
There is an old saying that stolen goods have no owner. In this case, the police say the stolen wallet apparently had a very attentive owner, seated close enough to watch it being pulled out to pay a transport fare.
Sometimes, criminals are caught through painstaking detective work, sophisticated surveillance or months of investigation.
And sometimes, according to the police, all it takes is one wallet, one mushikashika and one unforgettable decision that leaves everyone wondering whether truth really is stranger than fiction.
As the saying goes, you really can’t make this up.
