The ManicaPost
Tanyaradzwa Mujati
Weekender Reporter
A MUTARE man was last week hauled before the courts for damaging his family’s property while demanding a share of his late dad’s pension.
Thabani Maphosa (19) was convicted on his own guilty plea when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Perseverance Makala for malicious damage of property as defined in Section 140 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
Ms Makala sentenced Maphosa to 10 months in prison, of which two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The other five months were also suspended on condition that Maphosa pays a fine of $145 000.
He will serve an effective three-months jail term.
Mr Thurstone Mubvumbi prosecuted and said on August 9, Maphosa unlawfully and intentionally burnt his mother’s property in Dangamvura.
He also damaged a 32-inch Samsung television, broke dinner plates, coffee mugs, water glasses and cups.
The total value of the damaged property was $145 000 and nothing was recovered.
Mr Mubvumbi added: “Maphosa also defaulted from doing community service at Dangamvura Police Station when he was sentenced for attacking his mother. He is therefore not a right candidate for community service.”
In defence, Maphosa said he failed to do the community service as he was away for a funeral.
“On the day I was supposed to commence the community service, I had to attend a funeral at our rural home. Our relative had passed on and I saw it prudent to attend the funeral.
“However when I returned I did not report at Dangamvura Police Station for the community service,” said Maphosa.
He said he maliciously damaged his mother’s property because she ‘owed him money’.
“I was furious because my mother owes me money, but was refusing to give me the money. My father was a soldier and ever since his death, my mother has been receiving his pension and is not giving me even a single a cent from that money. I also need a share of the US$70 she gets every month, at least half of it. I broke her property to knock some sense into her head,” Maphosa told the court.
When asked by Ms Makala on who is paying his school fees and providing for his other needs, Maphosa said it was his mother.
“I am doing Form Five and the Government pays my school fees.
My mother buys the food that I eat, pays for the rentals and buys my clothes, but I still deserve to get something from that pension,” said Maphosa
