Frustrated vendor urinates in policeman’s hat

An airtime vendor, Margaret Maromoavabvunza from Mucheke suburb was handed a suspended three-month jail term by a magistrate here after she was convicted of criminal assault for stripping before urinating in a municipal police officer's hat.

Maromoavabvunza soiled the hat in protest after being asked to pay an admission of guilt fine for illegal vending.

Maromoavabvunza was, however, spared jail time after Magistrate, Mr Makamera Waini, wholly suspended the sentence on condition of good behaviour on Thursday.

In mitigation, Maromoavabvunza implored the court to spare her a custodial sentence saying she had two epileptic daughters who needed her all around attention.

It is the state's case that on June 10 this year, the accused who was in the company of several other airtime vendors was selling airtime in Masvingo city centre when a group of municipal police officers including the complainant, Mr Trynos Nejuri (50) swooped on them.

The complainant and his workmates confiscated airtime recharge cards from the accused and her colleagues and asked them to follow them and pay fines at the Masvingo city council offices.

When the accused and her colleagues arrived at the civic centre, they became violent after being told that they were supposed to pay fines before reclaiming their airtime recharge cards.

The accused then attacked Nejuri whom she first slapped on the cheek before removing his service hat and urinating in it in the presence of stunned fellow municipal officers.
A report was made to Masvingo Central Police Station leading to the accused's arrest. Mr Takunda Chikwati appeared for the state.