Japhet Lunga,
who appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Maxwell Ncube, was slapped with a $300
fine for his bungling, with a stern warning that failure to pay would land him
behind bars for five months. Two of those months were suspended on condition
that he made restitution to the complainant.
According to
Prosecutor Mehluli Ndlovu, the saga began on 3 August 2024, when Lunga received
a suitcase from Nhlalwenhliwe Pamela Moyo’s daughter in Harare. The parcel was
meant for Moyo, a teacher at DLM Primary School in Ntabazinduna, but things
went sideways fast.
The very next
day, Moyo went to the Inter Africa garage in Bulawayo to collect her
belongings, only to be greeted by a clueless security guard who informed her
that Lunga had apparently taken off to Victoria Falls. Attempts to reach him by
phone were futile, leaving Moyo in limbo over her $105 suitcase.
Nothing was
recovered, leaving the court with little choice but to penalise the driver
while stressing the importance of accountability.
Magistrate
Ncube expressed frustration at the careless handling of parcels, warning that
negligence in transport services could not be taken lightly. “Passengers and
clients trust service providers to deliver their property safely. Such
carelessness will attract both fines and jail time if repeated,” he said.
Lunga accepted
the judgment quietly, with little explanation for his mysterious Victoria Falls
detour that left a teacher suitcase-less and frustrated. B Metro
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