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Collen Murahwa Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has disassociated itself from a 25-year-old man who was convicted of theft by a Mutare magistrate last week. Rushmore Nyamutata was convicted of stealing four chickens and sentenced to 10 days or to pay a fine of $50 by Mr Innocent Bepura. Director army public relations Lieutenant-Colonel Alphios Makotore said in a statement yesterday that Nyamutata was discharged from service in 2014.

“The ZNA would like to disown Rushmore Nyamutata, who was convicted of stealing four chickens and sentenced to 10 days or to pay a fine of $50 by a Mutare Magistrates’ Court on 24 May 2017,” he said.

“The ZNA would like to categorically state that Nyamutata ceased to be a member of the Zimbabwe National Army in 2014, having been discharged on disciplinary grounds.

“Nyamutata, who was serving under 1 Mechanised Battalion at Inkomo Barracks, was discharged from the ZNA on 19 May 2014 for contravening paragraph 15 (2)(a) of the First Schedule to the Defence Act (Chapter 11:02).

“He absented himself Without Official Leave for 116 days and was tried by the General Court Martial, which sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment and discharged him from the ZNA.”

Last week, some private newspapers and online publications reported that the convict was a serving member of the ZNA.

“In stories carried by the Daily News and other online publications, which include Nehanda Radio and New Zimbabwe, Nyamutata was referred to as a member of the ZNA,” said Lieut-Col Makotore.

“To put the record straight, this is no longer the case as Nyamutata was discharged from the army in May 2014.”