Zimpapers Logo

Neville Mpofu at the Harare Magistrates’ Court yesterday

Court Reporter
An Epworth man who was nabbed by members of the neighbourhood watch committee molesting a dog, an act prosecution described as “out of this world” was today sent to jail for eight months.
Neville Mpofu (49) of 729D Overspill, Epworth, denied bestiality charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Vongai Muchuchuti.
However, he was convicted after prosecutor Ms Dora Moyo proved a strong case against him.
Ms Muchuchuti sentenced Mpofu to 12 months in prison before suspending four months on condition that for the next five years he does not commit a similar offence involving bestiality.
He will serve eight months effective. In passing sentence, Muchuchuti told the court that the court was satisfied with the evidence led in court which was sufficient to secure a conviction.
“The accused pre-meditated the offence and there is a possibility it was not the first time he had engaged in a sexual act with the canine.
“If it was not for the diligence of the officers, the accused would have continued to abuse the poor animal. What makes it worse is that the animal can’t complain,” she said.
In aggravation Ms Moyo described Mpofu’s behaviour as “out of this world” before telling the court that people like him were not fit to live with other human beings.
In mitigation Mpofu told the court that he is a divorced father of two and has no assets of value.
In his defence Mpofu maintained his innocence indicating that his step son is jealous of his mother prompting him to buy time in the maize field waiting for the step son to leave the house.
Mpofu bragged that his manhood was so big that it could not fit into the dog’s private parts.
During the trial the galley was left in stitches as members of the neighbourhood watch gave a blow to blow encounter of Mpofu at it with the dog.
State witnesses Cephas Dzamara, Mike Purazi and Chrispen Dokote’s evidence corroborated each other emphasising that Mpofu, in apparent enjoyment, was holding the dog tightly between his legs.
Mpofu looked amused by the way the witnesses described how they stealthily approached him and waited for a couple of minutes peeping over his shoulders scrutinising what was transpiring.