Japajapa convicted

MDC activist Paddington Japajapa, who insulted Zambian ambassador to Zimbabwe Zelipa Chitambo after he failed to secure a maize import licence, was last week convicted of disorderly conduct.

Harare magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini deferred the matter to April 5 for sentencing.

The court heard that on October 13, 2017, Japajapa, who was in the company of five women, visited the Zambian Embassy at number 48 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Harare intending to see the trade attaché over the importation of grain from Zambia.

Japajapa was informed that the attaché was not available, he then demanded to see the ambassador, but was told that he could only see her after making an appointment.

He started shouting and then tried to get into an elevator intending to proceed to the ambassador's office. The State said Japajapa was blocked by security personnel. Ambassador Chitambo then came out of the elevator and introduced herself to Japajapa and tried to cool his temper.

Japajapa then asked the ambassador: "Why do you employ such kind of people? They don't know what they will be doing. You should get rid of them."

Ambassador Chitambo advised Japajapa that Zambia had stopped exporting grain to Zimbabwe and Japajapa said: "This is not the only embassy that can help us. We will seek help from other embassies."