News / National
Sikhala fined for publishing falsehoods
15 Feb 2024 at 05:02hrs | Views
Opposition politician Job Sikhala was handed a wholly suspended sentence by Harare magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka.
This follows his conviction for publishing falsehoods after posting on his Facebook that a police officer had killed a minor while enforcing road regulations in 2020.
The magistrate said the mission should be correctional as such a custodial sentence might not fit in his circumstances.
The magistrate also fined him US$500 for the offence noting that he risks going to jail for two months upon failure to pay the fine.
"The court will focus more on reforming the offender.
"The mitigatory factors outweigh the aggravatory factors.
"There is no factor justifying a custodial sentence.
"A fine in the level of eight is fitting. In line with this the offender is sentenced to US$500 and nine months wholly suspended on condition that he does not commit an offense involving publishing information prejudicial to the State," she ruled.
This follows his conviction for publishing falsehoods after posting on his Facebook that a police officer had killed a minor while enforcing road regulations in 2020.
The magistrate said the mission should be correctional as such a custodial sentence might not fit in his circumstances.
The magistrate also fined him US$500 for the offence noting that he risks going to jail for two months upon failure to pay the fine.
"The court will focus more on reforming the offender.
"The mitigatory factors outweigh the aggravatory factors.
"There is no factor justifying a custodial sentence.
"A fine in the level of eight is fitting. In line with this the offender is sentenced to US$500 and nine months wholly suspended on condition that he does not commit an offense involving publishing information prejudicial to the State," she ruled.
Source - newzimbabwe
