Leonard Ncube  Victoria Falls Reporter
AN Australian tourist has been dragged to  court for stealing $45 from a curio vendor in Victoria Falls.
Brayden James Lewer, 28, of Victoria in Australia was approached by the vendor Hopewell Mabika of Chinotimba suburb who  was selling a curio for $5.

Lewer told the vendor that he did not have change as he only had $50 notes.

The court heard that Mabika gave Lewer $45 so he could give him the $50 note but the tourist walked away and refused to give him the money.

Lewer pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Sharon Rosemani yesterday.

He was fined $50 with an alternative of five weeks in jail.

Mabika tendered a withdrawal affidavit after recovering his money, but it was rejected.

The curio vendor said he had sought to withdraw the case because he considered that Lewer was drunk and that he had recovered his money.  He said he felt sorry for the Australian as a  foreigner but that did not deter the magistrate from fining him.

Sentencing Lewer, the magistrate rebuked him for misbehaving in a foreign land.

“In arriving at your sentence, I considered that the money was recovered and that you are a first offender. However, in aggravation, you made the  complainant who was carrying out his business believe that you were a genuine customer.  As a foreigner, you are expected to behave in a better way,” said Rosemani.

In his defence Lewer said he was drunk and didn’t intend to deprive Mabika of his artefact.

“I didn’t want to buy the curio. I only showed him the money as an excuse thinking that he would be discouraged and go away since he had no change. I was drunk the previous night so I think I was affected by hangover,” said Lewer.

He said he was a private bodyguard and was in the country on a 30-day volunteer work for an organisation called IPF which deals with anti-poaching.

Prosecuting, Takunda Ndovorwi said on Monday last week Mabika was selling curios in Victoria Falls Central Business District when he spotted Lewer and approached him.

Lewer agreed to buy one piece for $5 and  took out a $50 note, the smallest denomination  he had.

“The complainant went to look for change from another vendor called Fungai Ncube who gave him $45. The complainant ran after Lewer who was now near Rest Camp and gave him the $45,” said Ndovorwi.

Instead of giving Mabika the $50, Lewer returned the curio and started walking away, the court was told.

Lewer later returned the money after the matter was reported to the police.

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