Elderly man fined R15,000 for driving stolen vehicle

A 73-year-old man caught red-handed driving a suspected stolen vehicle worth R400,000 has been fined R15,000 or a three-year imprisonment sentence.

Daniel Mfaziwe, of Soweto in Gauteng but originally from Mozambique, pleaded guilty to possession of a suspected stolen Ford Ranger when he appeared in the Boschfontein Regional Court.

Before the sentencing, Magistrate Edgar Moletsane told the court that Mfaziwe's sentence would teach would-be offenders not to commit a similar crime.

"I won't send you to direct imprisonment, looking at your age, but I will punish you with a R15,000 fine or three years imprisonment," he said.

He said if Mfaziwe failed to pay the amount he would go straight to jail. 

Mfaziwe was arrested on May 23 as he was approaching Mzinti village about 5km from Tonga police station.

His attorney, Lucky Mngomezulu, told the court that his client was arrested while driving the vehicle to Mozambique on behalf of a friend who was driving behind him.

"His friend asked him to drive the vehicle to Mozambique as he wanted to take it there. He just learnt during his arrest that the vehicle was stolen, and it had been reported missing in Soweto," he said.

Magistrate Moletsane said Mfaziwe is a taxi driver who also transports school kids from Soweto to Johannesburg between Monday to Friday.

"My client is a family man and a pensioner earning R2,500 monthly. At his age he could not be able to steal a vehicle," said Mngomezulu.

His attorney also pleaded with the court to allow his client to pay R1,500 to be released and arrange for the balance to be paid in instalments. - African Eye News Service