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to perform 210 hours of community service.
Anyway Zengeya (36) on different occasions approached vendors at Eastgate Shopping Mall and demanded their licences.
He would threaten them with detention and confiscation of their wares before demanding cash to release them.
Zengeya, who was facing a charge of impersonating a police officer, was yesterday convicted on his own plea of guilty.
Harare magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma sentenced him to nine months in prison before suspending three months for five months on condition he does not commit a similar offence within that period.
The remaining six months were suspended on condition Zengeya performs 210 hours of community service at Rotten Row Magistrates’ courts.
Earlier in mitigation, Zengeya stunned the court when he professed ignorance on the legality of his actions.
“I am sorry your worship for I do not know what I did constitutes a crime,” he said.
Prosecutor Miss Tracy Muzondo told the court that on June 16, Zengeya approached Norah Chari and asked for the prohibited epidermy ointment on the pretext he wanted to buy it and Chari took it from her handbag.
Zengeya quickly snatched the bag and told Chari that she was under arrest.
He ordered her to follow him to Harare Central Police Station. Zengeya told Chari she would be detained and she offered him US$3 before she was released.
On June 22, the State said, Zengeya using the same modus operandi approached Tracy Masau and confiscated all her wares while threatening her with detention.
He was given US$2, which he pocketed and gave her back her wares.
It was proven that Zengeya approached Silvia Mlambo on June 23 and introduced himself as a police officer.
He ordered her to follow him to Harare Central Police Station for detention after taking away her sweets, cigarettes and airtime recharge cards. Zengeya demanded money and was given US$2.
He was arrested on June 25 when he tried to con another vendor using the same tactic. The vendors demanded to see his police identity card, but he failed to identify himself.