Student impersonates magistrate to save friend

A STUDENT from the University of Science and Technology (Nust) landed himself in trouble after impersonating a magistrate in a bid to get his friend released from police cells.

Sindiso Moyo(31) of Matsheumhlophe suburb was arrested after he produced magistrate Mzingaye's Moyo Judiciary Service Commission identity card purporting to be him.

He reportedly hatched the plan as he was desperate to rescue his friend Tinashe Mugabe who had been arrested for criminal nuisance at Queens Sports club.

Moyo, after realising that his friend had been arrested allegedly ordered Constable Vukani Nyathi to release his friend saying he was a magistrate.

However, lady lucky was not on his side as one of the police officers knew magistrate Moyo.

He was arrested on impersonation charges and hauled before Bulawayo magistrate Franklin Mkhwananzi.

He was not asked to plead as the magistrate remanded him out of custody to 16 March.

Prosecutor Tawurayi Hondoyemoto told the court that Moyo produced the magistrate's identity card ordering Const Nyathi to release Mugabe, declaring that he had not committed a crime.

Hondoyemoto said the police officer after checking the identity card realised it was not his and he asked him to produce his national identity card and he produced a student card which had the name Sindiso Moyo instead of Mzingaye Moyo as was in the magistrate ID.

It marked the end of Moyo's freedom as he was arrested and joined his friend. The magistrate's identity card was produced in court as exhibit.