A Bulawayo driver has been jailed for an effective six months for stealing US$7,259 and R10,000 from his employer. Bongani Machazi was initially sentenced to 30 months imprisonment by a Bulawayo magistrate, suspended for 12 months on the condition that he does not commit a similar offense within five years. He was suspended for another 12 months on the condition that the stolen money be returned.
“The degree of moral culpability was high and the perpetrator deserved a prison sentence. Only US$530 of the US$7,259 and R10,000 entrusted to the offender were recovered and, consequently, the offender benefited significantly from the commission of the crime.
“Furthermore, the employee attempted to cover up the crime by filing a false report that he had been robbed, yet diverted the funds to pay a traditional healer for cleansing purposes.
While the court noted that the offender appeared to be a novice in committing the crime, he started at the deeper end and subsequently sank. Accordingly, he was sentenced to six months’ effective imprisonment.”
The court heard that Machazi worked as a driver for Zimsend Pvt Ltd and was tasked with transporting money to a supermarket in Plumtree. He claimed that he was robbed.
Machazi told the court he intended to use the money to pay a traditional healer to cleanse him of evil spirits.
