Prostitute caged 5 years for 15cents worth of gold

A 23-year-old self confessed Redcliff prostitute, Necola Moyo has been caged for five year  for possessing gold worth 15 cents without a valid licence or permit.

Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi on April 28 confirmed the sentence handed down Gokwe magistrate Mr Christopher Maturure.

Moyo appeared before Mr Maturure on March 30 and was convicted of one count of possessing 0.22 grammes of gold worth 15 cents without a licence or permit.

"I certify that these proceedings appear to me to be in accordance with true and substantial justice," wrote Justice Mathonsi confirming Moyo's sentence.

Moyo had pleaded guilty to the charge saying a client had given her the gold the previous day and asked her to look for a buyer.

"I was hired by a client that I had sexual intercourse with. He gave me gold to hold for him while we looked for a buyer. I was then arrested while looking for a buyer," Moyo a single mother of a three-year-old child told Mr Maturure then.

Prosecutor Mr Tineyi Tirigo told the court that on March 10, and at Chicago Sports Bar in Gokwe, Moyo approached a police officer and told him that she was in possession of gold and was looking for a buyer.

The court heard that she handed the gold to the police officer who asked her to produce a valid licence or permit that allows her to possess the precious mineral and she failed.

"This led to the arrest of the accused person and 0.22 grammes of smelted gold were recovered valued at $0.15c," said Mr Tirigo.