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Senior Court Reporter
A CHEGUTU man will spend four months in jail for sending Commissioner General of Police Augustine Chihuri and Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate for Chegutu West Cde Dexter Nduna obscene messages after acquiring their numbers from popular Facebook character “Baba Jukwa”. Josiah Mahovoya (38) was arrested a day after sending the unprintable vulgar messages to Cde Chihuri and Cde Nduna.

Magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa on Monday convicted Mahovoya of two counts of contravening the PTC Act, which criminalises “sending an offensive and indecent telephone message”.

On the first count, Mahovoya was sentenced to six months in prison and two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour. On the second count, Ms Gofa also sentenced him to six months behind bars before setting aside two months on the same condition. Both sentences are to run concurrently.

In passing the sentence Ms Gofa said superiors should be given the respect they deserve.
“The accused person committed a very serious offence by insulting those in the higher offices. The manner in which he committed the offence shows premeditation. It also contributes to public violence through inciting people to engage in violence. The court should be found sending the right message to the accused and would-be offenders,” she said.