In a bizarre incident that has left many scratching their heads, a 61-year-old Inter-Africa Bus Company driver, Japhet Lunga, has been fined $300 for losing a suitcase belonging to a passenger. The suitcase, valued at $105, was meant for Nhlalwenhliwe Pamela Moyo, a teacher from Ntabazinduna, but it seems Lunga had other plans.

According to the court, Lunga received the suitcase from Moyo’s daughter in Harare, but instead of delivering it to its rightful owner, he apparently took off to Victoria Falls , without leaving any forwarding information. Moyo’s attempts to track down her missing luggage were futile, and she was left in limbo.

Magistrate Maxwell Ncube was not amused by Lunga’s careless handling of the parcel. “Passengers and clients trust service providers to deliver their property safely. Such carelessness will attract both fines and jail time if repeated,” he warned. Lunga was fined $300, with two months of a potential five-month jail term suspended on condition that he makes restitution to Moyo.

As Magistrate Ncube put it, “Negligence in transport services cannot be taken lightly.” Lunga’s mysterious detour to Victoria Falls may have cost him dearly, but it has also set a precedent for other bus drivers to take their responsibilities more seriously.

In the end, Lunga accepted the judgment without much fuss, leaving many to wonder what exactly prompted his unscheduled trip to Victoria Falls. Was it a sudden case of wanderlust, or just a momentary lapse in judgment? Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: losing a passenger’s luggage is no laughing matter.

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