By SIMBARASHE SITHOLE
THREE Harare men will spend 40 days in jail for trespassing into Jumbo Mine area, Mazowe, which has since been declared a no-go area for artisanal miners.
Alfred Chikwadze (35) from Waterfalls, Obvious Nyamutukwa (24) and Samuel Sithole (26) both from Chitungwiza pleaded guilty to trespassing when they appeared before Concession magistrate Nyasha Machirori.
Machirori slapped the trio with 40 days in prison.
Prosecutor Kumbirai Nyamvura told the court that on January 21, police officers were conducting an operation dubbed Chikorokoza Ngachipere at Jumbo Mine where they came across the trio and asked for their travel passes which they failed to produce.
The police officers subsequently arrested the trio and charged them with criminal trespass.
In another case, magistrate Machiriori sentenced a Chiweshe man to 20 months in jail for stealing an elderly man’s groceries.
Peter Mushayi (27) pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was convicted after full trial.
The magistrate suspended 12 months of the sentence on condition the convict does not committee a similar offence for the next five years.
The court heard that on January 11, the convict took advantage of the absence of the complainant Samuel Hondoyedzomba (72) and broke into his kitchen.
Mushayi stole groceries valued at $3 275.
When Hondoyedzomba returned home, he discovered that his groceries were missing and was informed by neighbours that Mushayi had stolen them.
He filed a police report, leading to Mushayi’s arrest and goods worth $60 were recovered.
Nyamvura prosecuted.
