Burglar begs magistrate to send him to jail

There was a surprising twist at the Plumtree Magistrates Court when a suspected burglar pleaded with the magistrate to send him to jail, citing his inability to afford bus fare to return home.

The suspect, 35-year-old Tylor Ncube, appeared before Magistrate Joshua Nembaware after being arrested for allegedly wearing stolen clothes. Ncube shocked the court by begging for jail time, stating that he had no money to pay for transportation back to his home after his court appearance.

Despite the unusual request, Magistrate Nembaware refused to grant Ncube's plea, citing the overcrowding in prison cells as a reason for not sending him to jail.

Prosecutor Selestine Madziwa outlined the details of the case, explaining that the complainant, a teacher, had locked his house before leaving on December 4 last year. However, upon returning on January 18, he discovered his window wide open. Upon further inspection, he found that several items had been stolen, including groceries, clothes, and two gigabyte black hard drives.

On February 3, the complainant saw Ncube wearing his stolen clothes, prompting him to file a police report, which led to Ncube's arrest.

The case will continue on March 17, as the court further investigates the matter.