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Sheillah Mapani Herald Reporter
A former police officer has been sentenced to eight months in prison for stealing a car battery belonging to a fellow officer at Harare Central Police Station. Harare magistrate Ms Tilda Mazhande sentenced Munyaradzi Zhou to an effective eight months for the theft. He pleaded not guilty, but was convicted following a full trial. In defence, Zhou told the court that he had bought the battery, which he was alleged to have stolen, from the streets and was in no position to steal as a police officer.

When passing the sentence, Ms Mazhande indicated that the court was not going to be lenient with Zhou since he was aware of the law as a former police officer. She also noted that Zhou had another previous conviction for unlawful entry, which indicated that he was capable of committing the same crime and hence deserved to be incarcerated.

Prosecutor Ms Noume Chinengundu proved that on October 11 this year, Clopas Chiukaka, who is the complainant, parked his vehicle, a Toyota Hiace at Harare Central Station car park and went to his office.

Zhou used an unknown object to open the vehicle, stole the battery and went away unnoticed.

He used Harare Central Police Station charge office as an exit.

He was seen by one Constable Munetsi carrying the battery and was stopped.

Zhou failed to give a satisfactory explanation, leading to his arrest and the battery was recovered in his possession.

On October 12, Chiukaka realised that the bonnet of his vehicle was opened and his car battery was missing.

When he arrived in the charge office to report the matter, he was informed that there was a person caught with a car battery in the charge office.

He positively identified the battery as his.