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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
FORMER Warriors defender Zvenyika Makonese, who is now employed as an assistant bus conductor, was yesterday fined R3000 by a Beitbridge magistrate after he was convicted of stealing a G-tel A718 cellphone from a police officer. The complainant Melody Masiya had asked one of the bus crews at Beitbridge border post to recharge her phone using the bus phone charger.

Makonese, who is employed by K&M buses as an assistant conductor pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft when he appeared before resident magistrate Miss Gloria Takundwa but was convicted on the strength of overwhelming evidence.

He escaped jail after the magistrate slapped him with one month imprisonment with an option of a fine. Prosecuting, Mr Jabulani Mberesi told the court that on an unknown date but in August this year, the police officer who was at Beitbridge Border Post approached one Farai Chinyani, a driver at Ngonweni bus services so that he could recharge her cell phone using the bus phone charger.

He said the former Orlando Pirates and Shabani Mine player entered the bus while the driver was fast asleep and stole the complainant’s phone, after which he gave the cell phone to one Calisto Tobaiwa in Zvishavane who sold it on his behalf.

The matter came to light when the woman went to the bus driver intending to collect her phone. A report was made to the police leading to Makonese’s arrest following thorough investigations.

The phone G-tel A718 phone which was valued at $468 was never recovered.