News / National
Convicted prosecutor on bail pending appeal
16 Aug 2016 at 01:55hrs | Views
Beitbridge area prosecutor Muchiwande Forbes Sithole (35) has been granted $500 bail pending appeal against both conviction and sentence.
Sithole was sentenced to four years in jail in June this year on charges of assault, kidnapping and attempted murder.
This was after he allegedly assaulted men he suspected of stealing his property.
Sithole is being represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Mr Lissen Zinyengere of Zinyengere, Rupapa Legal Practitioners and Mr Patrick Tererai of Tererai Legal Practitioners.
He was released on bail by Judge Clement Phiri.
He was ordered to report once every Friday at Beitbridge Police Station.
Masvingo regional magistrate Mr Collet Ncube, who presided over the matter at the Beitbridge Magistrate Court, convicted Sithole of assault, kidnapping and attempted murder.
He fined the accused $200 for the two assault charges.
Sithole was sentenced to two years in jail of which six months were suspended for five years for kidnapping.
On the attempted murder charge, he was sentenced to six years in prison.
Two years were set aside for five years. Mr Ncube ruled that the kidnapping and attempted murder terms run concurrently, leaving him with an effective four years to serve.
In his defence, Sithole argued that the complainants were arrested by members of the community through citizens' arrest.
He said he was a victim of a grand plan to tarnish his image.
Sithole was sentenced to four years in jail in June this year on charges of assault, kidnapping and attempted murder.
This was after he allegedly assaulted men he suspected of stealing his property.
Sithole is being represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Mr Lissen Zinyengere of Zinyengere, Rupapa Legal Practitioners and Mr Patrick Tererai of Tererai Legal Practitioners.
He was released on bail by Judge Clement Phiri.
He was ordered to report once every Friday at Beitbridge Police Station.
Masvingo regional magistrate Mr Collet Ncube, who presided over the matter at the Beitbridge Magistrate Court, convicted Sithole of assault, kidnapping and attempted murder.
He fined the accused $200 for the two assault charges.
Sithole was sentenced to two years in jail of which six months were suspended for five years for kidnapping.
On the attempted murder charge, he was sentenced to six years in prison.
Two years were set aside for five years. Mr Ncube ruled that the kidnapping and attempted murder terms run concurrently, leaving him with an effective four years to serve.
In his defence, Sithole argued that the complainants were arrested by members of the community through citizens' arrest.
He said he was a victim of a grand plan to tarnish his image.
Source - the herald
