News / National
MDC-T's 'Jesus' starts community service
12 Nov 2013 at 02:19hrs | Views
MDC-T deputy national chairperson Morgen Komichi yesterday started serving his 350 hours of community service at Mabelreign Clinic in Harare, comparing his situation to Jesus' crucifixion.
Komichi was sentenced to unpaid labour after he was found guilty of fraud and contravening the country's electoral law.
Last Friday the court threw out his application to have the community service sentence suspended pending a High Court appeal.
In an interview, Komichi said his situation resembles the crucifixion of Jesus Christ who died on the cross when he never committed any crime.
"Jesus was prosecuted and crucified but he did not commit any crime.
"This is similar to what is happening to me. I want to thank God that at least I am managing.
"I survived the 97 days of incarceration and I am stronger with each passing day.
"My lawyer (Mr Alec Muchadehama) is busy with the application for suspension of this community service pending appeal against the conviction and sentence.
"I am just waiting for the outcome," he said.
Komichi was last Thursday found guilty of criminally obtaining a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ballot paper which he marked, sealed and reopened in a bid to cast aspersions on the electoral body to abet his party's bid to discredit the harmonised elections.
Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe sentenced Komichi to 12 months in prison on fraud charges and six months for contravening the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13, to make it 18 months in prison.
The magistrate, however, set aside eight months for five years on condition Komichi does not commit an offence involving dishonesty and contravening the electoral laws.
Mr Mahwe suspended the remaining 10 months on condition Komichi performs the 350 hours of community service beginning yesterday from 8am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm Monday to Friday. He is expected to complete his sentence in the second week of January.
Komichi was arrested on July 28 for misrepresenting to ZEC that he "picked up" from a dust bin, a sealed tamper-proof envelope with a special vote ballot paper at the Harare International Conference Centre.
He approached ZEC deputy director of public relations Mr Tendai Pamire and told him that an unnamed person informed him that they had picked the envelope from a dustbin at the HICC where the special vote was being processed.
Komichi said he opened it out of curiosity and discovered that there were ballot papers cast by the police in favour of MDC-T by Cst Chiginya.
ZEC officials reported the matter to the police and investigations showed that Cst Chiginya had failed to vote in the special voting exercise as his name had not been called out by the presiding officer.
Komichi was sentenced to unpaid labour after he was found guilty of fraud and contravening the country's electoral law.
Last Friday the court threw out his application to have the community service sentence suspended pending a High Court appeal.
In an interview, Komichi said his situation resembles the crucifixion of Jesus Christ who died on the cross when he never committed any crime.
"Jesus was prosecuted and crucified but he did not commit any crime.
"This is similar to what is happening to me. I want to thank God that at least I am managing.
"I survived the 97 days of incarceration and I am stronger with each passing day.
"My lawyer (Mr Alec Muchadehama) is busy with the application for suspension of this community service pending appeal against the conviction and sentence.
Komichi was last Thursday found guilty of criminally obtaining a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ballot paper which he marked, sealed and reopened in a bid to cast aspersions on the electoral body to abet his party's bid to discredit the harmonised elections.
Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe sentenced Komichi to 12 months in prison on fraud charges and six months for contravening the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13, to make it 18 months in prison.
The magistrate, however, set aside eight months for five years on condition Komichi does not commit an offence involving dishonesty and contravening the electoral laws.
Mr Mahwe suspended the remaining 10 months on condition Komichi performs the 350 hours of community service beginning yesterday from 8am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm Monday to Friday. He is expected to complete his sentence in the second week of January.
Komichi was arrested on July 28 for misrepresenting to ZEC that he "picked up" from a dust bin, a sealed tamper-proof envelope with a special vote ballot paper at the Harare International Conference Centre.
He approached ZEC deputy director of public relations Mr Tendai Pamire and told him that an unnamed person informed him that they had picked the envelope from a dustbin at the HICC where the special vote was being processed.
Komichi said he opened it out of curiosity and discovered that there were ballot papers cast by the police in favour of MDC-T by Cst Chiginya.
ZEC officials reported the matter to the police and investigations showed that Cst Chiginya had failed to vote in the special voting exercise as his name had not been called out by the presiding officer.
Source - herald
