Landlord jailed for striking tenant with brick over US$ rent

A LANDLORD in Victoria Falls has been sentenced to an effective nine months in prison after he struck his tenant’s wife on the forehead with a brick for failing to pay rent in United States (US) dollars.

Bornwell Sibanda (27) of 3148 Chinotimba suburb was not happy that Ms Florence Mugobo (23) and her husband Mr Christopher Moyo had failed to pay rent in forex for the month of October.

Sibanda pegged his house rentals in United States dollars and the tenants delayed paying because they couldn’t raise the required money.

On October 2, Sibanda confronted Ms Mugobo in the absence of Mr Moyo and he picked up a brick and hit her once on the forehead before punching her after she told him she could not afford to pay the rent in US dollars.

Sibanda was charged with assault when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje.

The magistrate slapped him with an effective nine months in jail after finding him guilty.

For the state, Ms Sithabile Daka said Sibanda attacked Ms Mugobo after following her to a neighbour’s house.

“On the 2nd of October at around 4.30PM, Ms Mugobo went to visit a friend next door when Sibanda who was seemingly drunk followed her and asked for his rent money. A misunderstanding arose between the two upon which Sibanda picked up a brick and struck her once on the forehead. He went on to punch her several times on the head,” said Ms Daka. Ms Mugobo sustained a cut on the forehead. She reported the matter to the police who referred her to Victoria Falls Hospital where she was treated and discharged. — @nomvelosiziba A WOMAN from Hwange has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for killing her cousin’s chickens, guinea fowl and a dog with a fungicide.

Nelia Shoko (49) of Diki Village in St Mary’s was arrested last Thursday after she laced isitshwala with the poisonous Triadime before feeding it to her cousin’s livestock.

She told the court that her intention was to kill a cat that had eaten her chickens.

Shoko spread the poison laced isitshwala around her cousin Mr Fungai Ncube (47)’s homestead in the same village at night causing the death of five chickens, five guinea fowl and a dog.

She was charged with violating Section 3 (1) (i) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act which criminalises administering any poisonous or injurious substance to any animal without any reasonable cause. Shoko pleaded guilty to the charge when she appeared before Hwange magistrate Mr Gift Dube.

The magistrate slapped Shoko with 10 months in jail which was wholly suspended on condition that she restitutes RTGS$525 to the complainant by the end of this month.

Prosecuting, Mr Vumizulu Mangena said Shoko intentionally laced some isitshwala with Triadime and gave it to the chickens, guinea fowl and dogs.

“On the 8th day of October 2019 at 6PM, the accused took Triadime fungicide and put it on some isitshwala as bait. She placed the poisoned meal in the complainant’s homestead whereupon five chickens, five guinea fowls and a dog fed on it and died,” said Mr Mangena.

The court was told that Mr Ncube discovered that the chicken, guinea fowl and one dog were dead the following morning.

He made a report to the police and investigations led to Shoko’s arrest.

Police recovered a 250ml bottle of the Triadime fungicide from Shoko.

The combined value of the chickens, guinea fowl and dog is RTGS$525. — @ncubeleon