Fraudster opts for jail time

A 27-YEAR-OLD self-confessed fraudster based in Beitbridge shocked court officials on Monday when he volunteered to be imprisoned for failing to pay $550 restitution to a Harare woman he had duped.

"I can go to prison. I cannot find the money. I need time to refresh. My mind is unsettled," Nomore Tawanda Munyangara said in a hardly audible request before presiding magistrate Langton Mukwengi, who sentenced him to an effective three-month jail term.

The court heard that on January 31, Munyangara received $550 from the complainant, Chiratidzo Beta, on the understanding that he would buy her groceries from South Africa.

Munyangara, however, converted the money to his own use, prompting Beta to take him to court in a bid to recover her money. He was convicted on his own plea of guilty on his initial appearance in February, before his sentence yesterday. Oswell Arufandi prosecuted.

In an unrelated matter, Bongani Mbebe, a prison officer based at Ntabazinduna Prison Camp was recently bashed by a reveller after he allegedly spilled beer on a reveller at a local bottle store.

This was heard by Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya when the suspect, Minister Bulala (21) failed to appear in court yesterday for trial.

Tashaya immediately issued a warrant of arrest against him.

The State alleges that on April 2, Mbebe mistakenly spilled opaque beer on Bulala. In a fit of rage, Bulala struck Mbebe's cheek with a stick and slapped him three times on the head.

The prison officer sustained some injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment. A report was made to the police, leading to Bulala's arrest.