Siyabonga Sayi

GWERU – People at the magistrates’ court in Gweru were stunned when a man who was found guilty of domestic violence begged the court to give him community service instead of setting him free.
Tongai Zireni (43) of Mkoba 2 was found guilty of domestic violence as defined in Section 3[1] as read with section 4[1] of the Domestic Violence Act Chapter 5:16.
Zireni, who did not have legal representation, stunned the court when he begged magistrate Judith Taruvinga for community service when his 5 months prison sentence was conditionally suspended in full.
The magistrate however rejected the request and explained to him the implication of community service in light of the fact that he had a family to take care of.
The court heard that on January 2 this year Zireni communicated to her wife via a text message to the phone of his wife’s niece stating that he wanted to commit suicide because he was suspecting his wife of cheating.
His wife’s niece went to talk to him and the two returned home in Mkoba 2 were a misunderstanding between Zireni and his wife Kupurai Vhengere over the cheating allegations arose.
The court heard that Zireni then assaulted his wife with open hands and feasts on the head and stomach.
A report to the police was made leading to the arrest of Zireni.
Christopher Chitambira prosecuted.local

BIKITA – Terrified of going to jail, a convicted stock thief recently broke down before magistrate Florence Nago who had sentenced him and his co-accused to nine years in jail for stealing two donkeys and an ox.
Along with his accomplice Courage Kamutsi (20), Rhino Taengerwei (35) had pleaded guilty to two counts of stock theft but only to cry and plead for retrial after the long jail sentence was pronounced.
Magistrate Nago had found them guilty of stealing an ox belonging to Vongai Munesani of Village 21A, Chief Ziki and two female donkeys belonging to Rueben Nhakaniso of Ziki village in the same area.
It was the State’s case that in the evening of January 06, 2018 Munesani penned her cattle but during the night, Kamutse and Taengerwei, accompanied by a 13-year-old minor, sneaked in and stole an ox valued at US$950.
On count two, the State convinced the court that Kamutse and Taengerwei drove away Nhekaniso’s two donkeys to Village 1 Mkwazi, Chiredzi, where they sold the animals to one Chrispen Magochera. The value of the stolen donkeys was put at US$300.
On passing judgement, Nago said the court had no option as matters of stock theft called for a mandatory minimum sentence of nine years.
She said the accused had both failed to give convincing circumstances in mitigation.
The minor who was implicated in the case pleaded not guilty and Nago ruled that the case will proceed separately.
Japhet Mapakame prosecuted.local

Lloyd Shunje

Mutare – The Mutare City Council has proposed to amend its by-laws saying the existing ones have become archaic and can no longer save their purpose in the quickly changing world.
The move has been necessitated by the continuous vandalism of council infrastructure and the local authority seeks to set stiff penalties to all would-be offenders.
Speaking to TellZim News, Mutare City Council spokesperson Spren Mutiwi said the current by-laws were outdated and were no longer saving according to the current times.
“As the City of Mutare we have started the process of reviewing all our city by-laws to ensure that they become relevant with the changing development trends as the existing ones were bit outdated failing to save,” said Mutiwi.
The process which is expected to be complete by the second quarter of the year will see the council reviewing its major city by-laws which include the water, fire, town planning, shop license, traffic and vendors and also formulating new by laws.
Mutiwi said the council was worried with the careless vandalism of council infrastructure across the town mainly by illegal car washes.
“As the local authority, we have been faced with the problem of vandalism of council property and infrastructure.
“We are coming up with a by-law that will be focusing on tempering with council property and I believe this will go a long way in safeguarding our infrastructure that has been subjected to vandalism especially by illegal car washes in town,” said Mutiwi.local

A graduate receives a certificate from DCG Chihobvu while ZPCS officer commanding Masvingo province, Snr Ass Com Social Ndanga and another officer look on

Clever Taperamoyo

MASVINGO – The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) recently held a graduation ceremony for 22 Correctional Officers Grade Three (CO3s) who completed their Supervisory Course Number 1 of 2017 at Mutimurefu Prison.
The graduands were drawn from various ZPCS stations around  the province to undertake the three-month course specialising in prison administration, security management and civic education, prosecution, records management, management concepts, human rights as well as drill and weapon training.
Addressing the graduands, ZPCS deputy commissioner general (DCG) correctional services, Moses Chihobvu said the course was significant in moulding officers to be competent supervisors.
“We expect graduands to exhibit fundamental operational knowledge, skills and attributes required to enable them to execute supervisory roles within our prisons and correctional institutions,” Chihobvu said.
He explained that the course was a deliberate effort to produce correctional officers capable of delivering effective first level supervisory ethics and standards focusing on achieving goals of the organisation.
The training programme was affected by financial problems due to the prevailing economic crunch which continues to affect all institutions across the country.
“We would like to applaud the trainees and the supporting staff for soldiering on in spite of the difficulties and challenges that could have stalled progress during the training programme.
“We are all aware that funding remains a challenge given the country’s prevailing economic snags. The service is also not spared of the financial constraints but these graduands remained resolute and focused on achieving the goal,” Chihobvu said.local