Lehasa Joseph Khaba will spend the next four years behind bars after he was sentenced last week in the Ezakheni Regional Court on a count of theft of a motor vehicle.
The incident occurred during the latter part of last year.
Khaba was employed at a motor vehicle service centre in Centenary Road at the time.
He was instructed to lock the entrance gates to the workshop after his employer had to leave slightly early. He only placed the padlocks in place, but did not lock them.
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He later returned and removed a VW Jetta valued at R35,000. After removing the vehicle and parking in the driveway, he began locking the gates.
In a twist of fate, his employer happened to be passing the premises. The employer was shocked to find his customer’s vehicle parked in the driveway and immediately stopped to investigate.
Khaba was apprehended and handed over to police.
Constable PPS Dlamini from the Ladysmith Vehicle Identification Section (VIS) was tasked with the investigation.
The accused was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, of which two years were suspended for five years.
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