Lovesick man fakes armed robbery – fools his lover

A LOVESICK man LIED that he lost US$6,000, which he intended to use to pay lobola, in an armed robbery.

The reality was that Delight Ncube (26) did not have the money which his lover’s family had demanded even though he had let them prepare for the ceremony where he said he would pay lobola.

Ncube appeared before Bulawayo provincial magistrate, Themba Chimiso, facing a charge of deliberately supplying false information to the police.

He pleaded guilty.

The court heard that Ncube promised his girlfriend, and her family, that he was coming to pay US$6,000 as lobola.

But there was one problem — he did not have the cash. His girlfriend’s family prepared for the big day, and waited for him, but time passed by and he never showed up. Around midday, Ncube called the family with a shocking story.

He claimed he had been robbed at gunpoint and lost US$6,000 and a Mazda vehicle while travelling with his uncles to pay the lobola.

He then went to Khumalo Police Station and reported the matter as an armed robbery.

But detectives from the Vehicle Theft Squad smelt a rat. Investigations revealed inconsistencies in his story and officers questioned him further.

Under pressure, Ncube cracked and admitted he had staged the robbery to avoid losing his girlfriend.

In mitigation, he told the court: “I really apologise for what I did. I was pressured by my girlfriend, who wanted me to pay the bride price.

“She told me that her parents wanted US$6,000. “Seeing that I could not raise it since I earn US$250, I had to come up with a plan of a fake robbery because I did not want to lose my lover, as I love her very much.”

Prosecutor Samuel Mpofu said Ncube had wasted police time and State resources.

The magistrate convicted Ncube and fined him US$100, which must be paid by March 31.

Failure to pay will result in him spending four months behind bars.

The police said the accused’s false report led to unnecessary investigations before the truth came out. _*HMetro*_