A Hwange man will rue the day he neglected to settle a $1 200 fine resulting in a six-month jail term after being convicted of criminal insult two years ago.
Obey Muyambo (28) of F22, Lwendulu Village in Hwange was
convicted in 2019 for insulting Bekezela Mpofu.
He was fined $1 200 failure which would result in six
months imprisonment and was given up to January 2020 to settle the fine.
However, Muyambo failed resulting in a warrant of arrest being issued against
him last year and was only arrested a few days
ago.
He told Hwange provincial magistrate Mrs Barbra Phiri that
he had forgotten about the fine.
“Your worship, forgive me. I forgot about the fine because
there were a lot of things going on and I didn’t have the money. May the court
be understanding,” pleaded Muyambo.
However, Mrs Phiri would have none of it and ordered the
alternative sentence to be brought into effect.
“You simply saw it as not being important, the delay is
without good reasoning. The amount ordered had been eroded by inflation making it
easier for you to actually pay. Therefore, the warrant of arrest is cancelled
but accused is to serve the alternative,” she said.
According to the State led by Miss Belinda Bure on 7
December 2019 and at Lwendulu Bus Terminus Muyambo and Mpofu had a misunderstanding
over an issue of a refrigerator.
He went on to criminally insult Mpofu by shouting at her
using Nyanja calling her a prostitute, witch and mad person. She reported the
matter to the police leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction.
He was fined $1 200 or six month imprisonment. The fine was
to be paid via the clerk of court by 18 January 2020.
In addition Muyambo was sentenced to nine months
imprisonment that were wholly suspended for five years on condition he does not
commit a similar offence within that period. Sunday News
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