News / Local
Man steals cellphone to pay prostitute
03 Dec 2014 at 06:17hrs | Views
A NKULUMANE landlord appeared in court yesterday after he was accused of stealing his tenant's cellphone using it to pay a sex worker.
This came to light when the man, Martin Ndlovu (30), who took Sikhathele Ngwenya (31) home from Manor Hotel for a tryst before paying her up with a cellphone appeared in court.
Ndlovu appeared before the Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Chipumha-Dube, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded out of custody on free bail to December 5.
In his defence, Ndlovu told the court that he never took his tenant's phone, however, he had taken the phone, he gave to the lady of the night, from an unknown friend.
"I will not admit to the charge of stealing Anita Tshuma's phone because I never entered into her room," he said.
"I came from town with my girlfriend and we locked ourselves in my own room. Afterwards I paid her with my own phone and she left.
"I do not remember taking anyone's phone to pay my girlfriend."
Prosecuting, Kenneth Shava told the court that on the day in question, Ndlovu went to town in the evening and came back with a woman.
After a while the woman demanded to be paid and Ndlovu went out and brought back a phone with him, which he handed over to her before she left.
The tenant claims she had left her room for a few minutes accompanying a friend leaving the phone on the charger.
"I left my phone on the charger because the battery was low at that time and I did not lock the door because I was nearby," she explained.
"When I came back I met up with his girlfriend leaving the house and to my surprise the phone was gone."
On questioning, Ngwenya told the police that she did not know where Ndlovu got the phone from, as she just took it and left.
"I did not steal the phone, I only wanted Ndlovu to pay me as per agreement," she said.
"He gave me the phone and ordered that I leave and I did."
This came to light when the man, Martin Ndlovu (30), who took Sikhathele Ngwenya (31) home from Manor Hotel for a tryst before paying her up with a cellphone appeared in court.
Ndlovu appeared before the Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Chipumha-Dube, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded out of custody on free bail to December 5.
In his defence, Ndlovu told the court that he never took his tenant's phone, however, he had taken the phone, he gave to the lady of the night, from an unknown friend.
"I will not admit to the charge of stealing Anita Tshuma's phone because I never entered into her room," he said.
"I came from town with my girlfriend and we locked ourselves in my own room. Afterwards I paid her with my own phone and she left.
"I do not remember taking anyone's phone to pay my girlfriend."
Prosecuting, Kenneth Shava told the court that on the day in question, Ndlovu went to town in the evening and came back with a woman.
After a while the woman demanded to be paid and Ndlovu went out and brought back a phone with him, which he handed over to her before she left.
The tenant claims she had left her room for a few minutes accompanying a friend leaving the phone on the charger.
"I left my phone on the charger because the battery was low at that time and I did not lock the door because I was nearby," she explained.
"When I came back I met up with his girlfriend leaving the house and to my surprise the phone was gone."
On questioning, Ngwenya told the police that she did not know where Ndlovu got the phone from, as she just took it and left.
"I did not steal the phone, I only wanted Ndlovu to pay me as per agreement," she said.
"He gave me the phone and ordered that I leave and I did."
Source - Southern Eye
