Man caught with 5 cellphones

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Ou grote

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http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2317316,00.html

Man caught with 5 cellphones
06/05/2008 14:50 - (SA)
Thohoyandou - A suspected cellphone thief was nabbed when five cellphones he was carrying started ringing at the same time while he was travelling in a taxi.

The suspect, whom one passenger described as a "hungry and tired-looking" illegal Zimbabwean immigrant, was arrested at a taxi rank in Thohoyandou when he couldn't explain why he had so many cellphones on him.

Paul Mudzimu, 32, was not asked to plead to charges of possession of suspected stolen property when he appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court on Monday.

He was remanded in custody until May 28 for further investigation.

One passenger said the cellphones rang for about five minutes before the taxi driver threatened to kick Mudzimu off unless he switched the phones off.

Captain Mashudu Malelo could not confirm the passenger's account.

He said police who were on patrol at the taxi rank last Thursday confronted Mudzimu as he had been acting suspiciously.

When Mudzimu couldn't explain why he had so many cellphones or produce proof of ownership, he was immediately arrested.

Malelo said Mudzimu spoke in broken and poor English and admitted that he was Shona-speaking and a Zimbabwean.
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Can you really tell me they have no clue where to switch onto silent? I presume they need them on to avoid the pin being needed.
 
Imagine sitting in the taxi with 5 cell phones ringing for about 5 minutes. I would have thrown him out of the window closer to 1 minute. :)
 
Seems a bit harsh - surely you need more evidence than carrying 5 cellphones to arrest someone?
 
fxit_man said:
Are you doubting that he's a thief?

What about the fact that he couldnt explain himself

I dont find it harsh at all...
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I assume that they're still going to investigate. But he couldn't explain himself because he didn't speak the language...

He may well be a thief, I don't know. I certainly can't think of any good reason why he had 5 cellphones on him, but just because I can't doesn't mean that he stole them. As far as I know, legally, there's has to be a strong suspicion of a crime before they can arrest you. Not just because you look poor, foreign, and have 5 cellphones on you. Investigate, sure, and I realise he was just arrested and not sentenced, but it still seems a bit much.
 
CathJ said:
I assume that they're still going to investigate. But he couldn't explain himself because he didn't speak the language...

He may well be a thief, I don't know. I certainly can't think of any good reason why he had 5 cellphones on him, but just because I can't doesn't mean that he stole them. As far as I know, legally, there's has to be a strong suspicion of a crime before they can arrest you. Not just because you look poor, foreign, and have 5 cellphones on you. Investigate, sure, and I realise he was just arrested and not sentenced, but it still seems a bit much.
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I totally agree. There could be many plausible explanations for why someone is walking around with 5 cellphones on him.


























Like, he could have 5 ears:D
 
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