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Jilted man in dock insults magistrate

by Mashudu Netsianda
12 Sep 2015 at 08:31hrs | Views
A MAN from Bulawayo who is facing charges of sending offensive text messages to his United Kingdom-based female boss for turning down his love proposal, yesterday rekindled his anger in court when he insulted a magistrate presiding over his case. Micah Masuku, 56, of Njube suburb, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marylin Mutshina charged with sending offensive and abusive text messages as defined in section 88 of the Posts and Telecommunications Act.

When he took to the dock, Masuku, who appeared intoxicated, was asked by the magistrate if all was well. Masuku retorted: "Why are you asking me such a silly question?"

The magistrate continued: "I'm asking you that question because to me you don't appear sober at all." Masuku, who appeared to have been offended by the question, hurled insults at the magistrate. "Why do you suspect that I'm drunk? Voetsek! I repeat voetsek!" Mutshina, who appeared undeterred by the slur, laughed it off before she remanded the foul-mouthed Masuku in custody to September 30 so that he could be examined by two doctors to ascertain his mental status in terms of the Mental Health Act.

Prosecuting, Memory Takaenda said between 2012 and 2013, Masuku persistently proposed love to Lorraine Mbedzi, his employer, but she turned him down. After realising that his efforts were not yielding positive results, Masuku got angry and started sending the woman offensive and abusive text messages using mobile number 0713 102 6*7.

Mbedzi had offered Masuku a part time job at her house in Famona suburb. The court heard that when Mbedzi returned to her base in the UK, Masuku continued sending her offensive text messages and calling her. Shortly after her return from the UK, Mbedzi received another call from Masuku on August 22 at about 3PM pestering her until she decided to switch off her cellphone.

Three days later at about 9.20AM, Mbedzi was at her home in Famona when she received an abusive text from her suitor. Part of the message read: "Lorraine, since you have returned from wherever you were, I wish you could go and make a report to the police who are protecting you. . . . you prostitute who killed your husband. U-investigating officer wakho engangethuseli sizalumana ngamazinyo njalo angethuki? (The investigating officer should not threaten me because we can bite each other. I'm not afraid of him . . .)"

The following day shortly after midnight, Masuku sent Mbedzi another offensive message labelling her a "second class citizen and prostitute."

On August 29 at about 11.29AM, Masuku texted the victim saying, "Lorraine, you are rating other people as inferiors. To be in the diaspora doesn't mean that you have descended from the sky. . . my warning to you is that don't treat me like your undergarment . . . your face is ugly and you are not sexually attractive like other women? What class are you b..ch?"

Some of the offensive messages read, "Don't count yourself better than a vegetable vendor or a sex worker." Mbedzi did not reply the messages and she reported the matter to the police, leading to Masuku's arrest.


Source - chronicle