Bus conductor fined for tearing Zanu PF cap

A FILABUSI bus conductor was last week convicted and fined $150 for tearing a cap belonging to a Zanu PF supporter, who was a passenger in his bus in an attempt to remove the party's logo.

Bothile Masango, from Nkayi district and employed by Bafana Bafana Bus Services, pleaded guilty to the charge of malicious damage to property, when he appeared before Filabusi magistrate Mzingaye Moyo.

The magistrate convicted and fined him $150, failure to which, he will spend two months in jail.

Prosecutor Smart Tafireyi told the court that sometime in July before elections, a Zanu PF activist wearing a cap with a picture of President Robert Mugabe, boarded a bus on his way from Avoca.

Masango then asked to see the cap, which the activist gave to him.

The conductor then tore the cap, while trying to remove Mugabe's picture.

A report was made to the police, leading to the conductor's arrest.

In his plea, Masango said it had not been his intention to tear the cap, but he had intended to remove the label and put it on his own cap, but unfortunately the cap got torn.

In sentencing him, the magistrate said Masango had not asked for consent from the cap owner to remove the label.