DRAMA in court as senior citizen refuses to leave dock after conviction

There was drama at Concession magistrates courts yesterday after a senior citizen refused to leave the dock after being convicted of malicious damage to property.

Robert Mucherure (71) roared the court and gallery with laughter after pleading guilty to the charge and  demanding for his witnesses to testify before magistrate Mr Joshua Nembaware.

"Your worship l admit that l cut the fence but l do not want to be convicted because l have my witnesses so l will not leave the dock unless you allow my witnesses to come and testify," Macherure said.

The magistrate responded saying since he had pleaded guilty to the charge his witnesses were nolonger necessary.

"You have pleaded guilty to the charge hence your witnesses are no longer necessary hence l find you guilty as charged," Nembaware said.

"The convict insisted that he had witness, "My worship l have witnesses l cannot leave this dock if my witnesses are not allowed to testify," he insisted.

Macherure who was advised  to come back to court on tomorrow  for sentencing was eventually  escorted out of the dock by a prison officer .

The court heard that sometime in December 2019 John Gutu (62) mounted his fence at a farm in Concession and left for Gokwe.

Macherure removed the fence and standard poles mounted claiming that the fence had been mounted on his farm.

Value of the damaged fence is US$612.28.