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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

A 40-YEAR-OLD man from Zhombe has been sentenced to 30 months in jail by a Victoria Falls magistrate for border jumping and stealing a wheelchair and a cellphone in Botswana.

Siphosami Sibanda of Fafi Village under Chief Malisa in Zhombe in the Midlands province was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje.

He was convicted of two counts of exiting and entering Zimbabwe through ungazetted ports, two of theft and another of unlawful entry.

The magistrate said Sibanda deserved a custodial sentence.

She slapped Sibanda with a total of 30 months for the five counts and suspended six months for five years on condition of good behaviour.

Prosecuting, Mr Onias Nyathi said Sibanda exited Zimbabwe into Botswana through an illegal crossing point at Pandamatenga Border Post on March 7.

He said Sibanda used the same point to come back into the country on April 7 after committing the crimes.

The border post is about 100km from Victoria Falls in the Hwange National Park.

“On the 7th of March 2019, the accused exited Zimbabwe into Botswana through an ungazetted port of exit at Pandamatenga Border. Between 8PM and 11PM, the accused broke into a house belonging to Mr Andrew Vutsvene of Pandamatenga Camp Quarters and entered the dining room and stole an LG cellphone which was on the charger and left,” said the prosecutor.

On another date, Sibanda broke into Pandamatenga Clinic in Botswana and stole a wheelchair which was on the veranda.

The wheelchair was valued at US$1 000. 

Sibanda was arrested on April 7 when he illegally entered Zimbabwe from Botswana.

Investigations led to the recovery of the stolen cellphone and US$900 which was part of the money realised from selling the wheelchair.

– @ncubeleon