News / National
Potraz puts measures to counter Baba Jukwa
05 Aug 2013 at 05:07hrs | Views
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has directed cellphone network operators to disconnect all unregistered subscribers with immediate effect following an increase in abusive texts being sent across the networks.
Potraz warned in a statement that those responsible for the abusive texts risked being prosecuted.
"Potraz, together with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the three mobile operators, Econet Wireless, Telecel Zimbabwe and NetOne have noted with grave concern an upsurge in the number of offensive and abusive calls and texts messages generated from unregistered SIM cards across all networks made and/or sent to citizens of Zimbabwe and members of the public," said Potraz.
"Members of the public are hereby advised that according to the Postal and Telecommunications Act Chapter 12:05 such acts are illegal and any person making such calls and or sending texts, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period of six months of both the fine and imprisonment."
Potraz warned people against buying or selling activated lines.
"In the event that the line is abused, it is the registered subscriber who will be held accountable and answerable for any offences committed using the line," it said.
"Mobile operators have been directed to disconnect all unregistered subscribers with immediate effect."
Last week, Josiah Mahovoya (38) of Chegutu was sentenced to four months in jail for sending Commissioner General of Police Augustine Chihuri and incoming Chegutu West Member of Parliament, Dexter Nduna of Zanu-PF obscene messages.
He revealed that he had acquired their numbers from the faceless Facebook character Baba Jukwa who is in the habit of abusing the social platform by engaging in smear campaigns against individuals.
Potraz warned in a statement that those responsible for the abusive texts risked being prosecuted.
"Potraz, together with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the three mobile operators, Econet Wireless, Telecel Zimbabwe and NetOne have noted with grave concern an upsurge in the number of offensive and abusive calls and texts messages generated from unregistered SIM cards across all networks made and/or sent to citizens of Zimbabwe and members of the public," said Potraz.
"Members of the public are hereby advised that according to the Postal and Telecommunications Act Chapter 12:05 such acts are illegal and any person making such calls and or sending texts, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period of six months of both the fine and imprisonment."
Potraz warned people against buying or selling activated lines.
"In the event that the line is abused, it is the registered subscriber who will be held accountable and answerable for any offences committed using the line," it said.
"Mobile operators have been directed to disconnect all unregistered subscribers with immediate effect."
Last week, Josiah Mahovoya (38) of Chegutu was sentenced to four months in jail for sending Commissioner General of Police Augustine Chihuri and incoming Chegutu West Member of Parliament, Dexter Nduna of Zanu-PF obscene messages.
He revealed that he had acquired their numbers from the faceless Facebook character Baba Jukwa who is in the habit of abusing the social platform by engaging in smear campaigns against individuals.
Source - herald
