A Zimbabwean man paid a light price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, fined P200 after being caught ‘idling’ in Ghetto’s Block 9 location at around 4am on Wednesday morning.
Hauled before Phase IV Customary Court last Thursday, 49-year-old Ndumiso Mlilo pleaded guilty to the charge of idling and disorderly conduct.
It was heard police on patrol had spotted Mlilo walking the streets in the wee hours but when they approached him, the startled Zimbo tried to run away.
He didn’t get far, however, with the boys in blue swiftly stopping him in his tracks. Without a valid reason for being out so late, Mlilo was arrested, with the cops suspecting he may have been a burglar or an illegal miner.
Speaking in court, Mlilo, who has all the legal papers required to be in Botswana, explained he panicked and tried to flee because he has an ingrained fear of the police.
“I was scared. I speak Ndebele so I suspected that they were going to beat me. I thought they will not understand my language and beat me. I pray for a lenient sentence,” begged the Lupane native, speaking in Ndebele.
Ordered to fork out 200 bucks or face three months in prison, Mlilo let out a sigh of relief (no translator was needed for that!) and promptly paid the fine before going on his merry way.
I don´t understand the penalty!?