PSL

Thulani Cele of Ke Yona challenged by Samukelo Shangase TS Galaxy during the 2019 Nedbank Ke Yona Challenge match between Ke Yona and TS Galaxy at Kameelrivier Stadium, Kameelrivier, on 08 September 2019 Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Former PSL star jailed in Georgia for stealing a phone

Former PSL striker Thulani Cele has reportedly been sentenced to 18 months in prison in Georgia for stealing a phone.

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Thulani Cele of Ke Yona challenged by Samukelo Shangase TS Galaxy during the 2019 Nedbank Ke Yona Challenge match between Ke Yona and TS Galaxy at Kameelrivier Stadium, Kameelrivier, on 08 September 2019 Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Former PSL striker Thulani Cele has reportedly been sentenced to 18 months in prison in Georgia for stealing a phone.

Former PSL star jailed in Georgia

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Cele’s family reported him missing after the ex-Amazulu striker dropped out of communication with them after heading to Georgia to stand trial.

The family have now claimed that he is in prison in the former Soviet republic.

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They insist that the case was all a matter of a misunderstanding because of the language barrier.

“We can confirm that Thulani Cele is still in prison in Georgia,” Cele’s aunt Nonhlahla Shongwe told Thabiso Mosia SAFM.

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“He has been sentenced to 18 months for robbery [stealing a phone]. He was advised to plead guilty for a lesser sentence.

“Thulani had a legal representative in Georgia. According to his lawyer, Thulani took a cell phone to make a call home.

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Former PSL striker Thulani Cele. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

“There was no force or robbery as they claimed. He returned the phone, even the owner of the phone confirmed this.

“Also there was a language barrier during the case which could have affected the matters.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t receive any assistance from the Department of International Relations and Cooperations.

Left high and dry

The family have reached out to government officials but say that the only group to offer them any support is the South African Football Players Union. 

“The only organization that assisted us was SAFPU. We are grateful to them because they went out of their way to help us.

“Thulani was sentenced on the 4th of December but prior to that he has been detained from 2nd of June last year.

“We are still not sure if the sentence will be backdated because we haven’t seen the court documents.

“And we have been able to speak to Thulani; he still says he didn’t steal the phone.

“But the most comforting thing is that he seem to be doing better than we expected.”

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