Casino employee fakes robbery, alleges inyanga duped him

A BULAWAYO man employed at a casino sliced himself with a razor blade in the abdomen, forefinger and also struck himself on the nose with an unknown object in a bid to fake a robbery.

The man, Patrick Tasiya then told his employers that he had been  attacked by armed robbers in a bid to cover up his theft of $3 095 from his workplace.

"I was duped by an inyanga that that if I gave him the money it would multiply but he disappeared. He promised that it would multiply to $800 000 and I believed him but I was not careful because I did not take any details save for his phone number which he is no longer picking," Tasiya reportedly told the police on his arrest.

"I had no option but to lie to my boss because I had to explain where the money went so I stage managed an armed robbery."

Co-workers narrated how Tasiya was found clutching his abdomen while writhing in fake agony in the morning after the theft.

When he saw a waitress coming into the premises for duty, Tasiya pretended to be in deep pain and fell to the floor, telling her that he had been attacked by armed robbers.

Tasiya, of 116 Casino Royale Cottages along 12th Avenue ran out of luck when alert detectives established that he had stage-managed the armed robbery.

He told investigators that an inyanga had told him that the money would multiply to about $800 000 but disappeared with it.

Tasiya was arraigned before the courts on Monday charged with theft and deliberately supplying false information to a public officer.

He was, however, lucky to escape the agony of jail life when his employer, Mr Panayiotis Leondios of Woodlands who runs the casino withdrew the charges.

Mr Leondis said Tasiya had worked for him for a long time without any problems until last Thursday's incident and that he knew his family.

He said Tasiya had also promised to pay back the money.

Bulawayo magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa withdrew the charges after plea.

On the charge of supplying false information to a public officer, Tasiya was sentenced to six months in prison with two months suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour.

The remaining four years were suspended on condition that he completes 140 hours of community service at Bulawayo Central Police Station.

Tasiya was the slot manager responsible for receiving the daily takings.

He was also responsible for keeping keys to the safe and main door leading to the casino.

Mr Malvern Nzombe, the prosecutor told how between 1 November and Thursday last week, Tasiya confided in a friend that he wanted to fake an armed robbery because he had stolen money from his workplace.

He gave his cellphone to his girlfriend, Ms Thando Mhlanga so that no-one would suspect why the phone was not taken by armed robbers and went to work at about 7.30pm.

While there, Tasiya asked his friend to lock him inside and leave the keys hanging from the keyhole outside so that it would appear like the armed robbers locked him inside.

He then spent the day within the premises waiting for his workmates to arrive in the morning.

Tasiya reported a case of armed robbery but detectives noticed inconsistencies in his statement and on being further questioned, he confessed that he had lied.

He was then arrested.