Businessman fined for calling woman a prostitute

A Plumtree businessman was fined $150 or two months imprisonment for labelling a woman a prostitute.

Plumtree magistrate Livard Philimon told Simbarashe Nkomo, 25, to respect women when he appeared in court on charges of insulting his customer Silingiwe Phiri, 39.

"A prostitute is someone of loose morals. The act of prostituting is the lowest level of degradation, which human beings can reduce themselves to," said Philimon.

"Therefore labelling someone a prostitute especially one who is your regular customer is a sign of disrespect and I wonder what kind of businessman you are if you cannot respect your customers."

The court heard how on December 4 last month Nkomo, the owner of Vukuzenzele Shop insulted Phiri of Dingumuzi suburb after she failed to pay him for repairing her phone.

"The words of insult that you uttered to the complainant have tarnished her image. You have compromised her dignity given that you insulated her in the presence of her children, relatives and members of the community," the magistrate said.

"It is against this information that I find you guilty of tarnishing the complainant's image."

Nkomo had pleaded not guilty to the charges of criminal insult.

"Therefore labelling someone a prostitute especially one who is your regular customer is a sign of disrespect and I wonder what kind of businessman you are if you cannot respect your customers."