A man convicted of house-breaking begged the judge to sentence him to life imprisonment, claiming prison life is better than life on the streets in Zimbabwe.
Repeat offender Lovemore Manyika, 22, appeared in Harare Court after being caught for house-breaking. The
BBC reported Manyika was found guilty of stealing two mobile phones, a plasma TV and $1,800 in cash. According to
Naharnet he scaled a wall and broke into an apartment through a toilet window.
After the judge found Manyika guilty, the thief wrote a note which was read out by the prosecutor, in which he pleaded to be sentenced to life in prison. The note said "Life in prison is better than life in the streets. May I have life in prison?"
However, his request was denied as Manyika was sentenced to three-years in jail.
Human rights groups routinely deride the conditions of
Zimbabwe's prisons which are notoriously squalid, claiming conditions contravene the International Bill of Human Rights.
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