BULAWAYO Troubled former Highlanders FC player Mandlenkosi Nkomo was last Friday slapped with a nine-year jail term for stealing from a relatives car.Nkomo (24), who was already serving a three-year jail term for breaking into his friends shop and stealing property worth US$700, had his stay in prison extended after pleading guilty to theft from a motor vehicle before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Phathekile Msipa. Msipa suspended five months from the new jail term for five years on condition that Nkomo is not within that period convicted of a similar offence.
In mitigation, Nkomo pleaded with the court to take into account that he was already serving a jail term. Nkomo, who said he is a father of one, told the court that when he committed the offence, his wife was expecting and that he needed to raise money for maternity fees. Victor Mpofu, for the state, said on 9 May this year, Nkomos relative arrived at his home and parked his vehicle in the yard.
The cousin went to take a bath leaving his car keys in the bedroom. Nkomo took the car keys, opened the vehicle and took a car radio and two speakers all valued at US$160 before going away. When the relative contacted him, Nkomo admitted stealing the property. He was arrested on 22 October leading to the recovery of the stolen property.