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From George Maponga in Masvingo
Opposition MDC-T Chiredzi Urban Ward councillor Munyaradzi Hatinahama, has been jailed for 18 months after the High Court upheld both his conviction and sentence for theft of trust property committed in 2012.

Hatinahama, who was elected councillor during the 2013 harmonised elections, appealed against both conviction and sentence at the High Court after he was jailed by the then Chiredzi Resident Magistrate Mr Honest Musiiwa for 18 months on December 10 2012 after he embezzled over $2 000 in subscriptions paid by home-seekers in the town.

Mr Musiiwa had suspended eight months from Hatinahama’s sentence on condition he restitutes Shine-Plus Housing Cooperative, where he was employed as a sales representative, the $2 150 he collected from home- seekers and converted to his own use.

Chiredzi resident magistrate Ms Constance Mutandwa on Monday sent Hatinahama to jail for 18 months after the High Court upheld his conviction and sentence by Mr Musiiwa three years ago.

However, the Chiredzi Ward 5 Councillor will serve an effective 10 months if he repays Shine-Plus Housing co-operative the money.

Hatinahama, a sales representative at Shine-Plus, received monthly subscriptions from home-seekers sometime in 2012 and was supposed to bank all the money.

He received amounts ranging from $30 to $100 over several months, but never banked all the subscriptions totalling $2 150.

Hatinahama was arrested after the home-seekers discovered that their accounts with Shine-Plus were not credited.

He was subsequently jailed owing to overwhelming evidence in court but appealed both conviction and sentence at the High Court and was temporarily freed.

The upholding of Hatinahama’s conviction and sentence by the High Court means a by-election will be held to choose a new councillor for Ward 5 in Chiredzi Urban.