Policeman's application against conviction and 9-year jail term dismissed

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo sitting with Justice Martin Makonese have dismissed an appeal against nine year jail term filed by a former police officer who was convicted and sentenced for stock theft.

Washington Muchenu had filed an appeal on September 19 indicating that the trial magistrate erred in convicting and sentencing him to nine years for stock theft after he was caught with a load of meat from a farm.

In his heads of argument he submitted that he was a police officer and was charged and convicted for stock theft before being sentenced to nine years in jail. He stated that there was no clear evidence linking him to the case but the magistrate went on to sentence him.

He said the court aqua erred by convicting him when the state had failed to prove a case against him.

He prayed for the conviction and sentence to be set aside.

But the judges dismissed the appeal.