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Herald Reporter

Former Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Petronella Kagonye who was slapped with an effective 16 month jail term for stealing 20 laptops in a corruption case linked to criminal abuse of public office yesterday said being in jail has made her realise her spiritual calling.

Kagonye who is nearing four months behind bars at Chikurubi Female Prison said she got a chance to focus more on her spiritual life and has since written a book about prayer which will be published upon her release.

The former minister said despite being an inspiration to many in prison one of her children who turned two years while she was in prison is failing to recognise her.

Kagonye said her experience in Chikurubi female prison is very positive and quite exciting as she never got an opportunity to be inside prison the way she has this time around.

“I am clocking four months now inside Chikurubi and I have learnt quite a lot. Its actually a community on its on with new experiences and the good thing is for everything that happens has got a reason and purpose.

“I only discovered the other side of me when l got in here. I am actually a pastor, I went to Bible college but I never thought I would practice what I learnt the moment l came here I got that opportunity and that of writing a book which I will publish as soon as I am released it about prayer,” she said.

Kagonye said she realised that not all people in jail committed crimes some are there for a reason.

“There is a biblical scripture quoted by Prophet Jeremiah 33 verse 3 in the Bible. He was given while in prison by God himself which means in jail there are both good and evil people.

“My coming here got me a lot of revelation of the Bible and trying to understand why I ended up here,” she said.

Kagonye said she has been assisting other inmates more on the spiritual side.

“When you are inside here what else can you do other than to worship. I have been teaching others how to pray because l realised that there were quite a number of things that were missing, others had the desire to worship but the how part that is mainly what I was focusing on,” she said.

Kagonye was jailed after being convicted of stealing 20 laptops that were meant for schools in Goromonzi South constituency.

Harare regional magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro initially sentenced Kagonye to 36 months in prison before setting aside 12 months for five years on condition of good behaviour.

A further eight months were set aside on condition that she restitutes US$10 000 equivalent to the laptops she stole.

The intended schools were named by her in her request for the donation and listed in the handover form signed on her behalf.

But in her defence Kagonye sought to argue that although the laptops were released at her written request made on behalf of her constituency and indeed subject to the terms of the written trust agreement, she was not privy to the agreement because it was signed by her brother, Evans, who received the laptops on her behalf.

Her bid to get freedom also flopped last month after the High Court dismissed her bail pending appeal.

Kangonye was appealing against conviction and sentence for stealing 20 laptops meant to benefit schools but the court said she was unlikely to succeed.