Sex worker spends Christmas Day in prison

A LADY of the night in Gwanda, who teamed up with her client and severely assaulted a patron outside a nightspot leaving him for dead, spent Christmas Day in prison after she was sentenced to an effective three months behind bars.

Precious Moyo (26) of Phakama pleaded not guilty, but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by magistrate Arafat Kozanai and sentenced to an effective three months behind bars.

Cebo Ndlovu (27), who appeared separately and pleaded guilty to assault charges, was sentenced to two years behind bars for savagely attacking Forget Msipha.

Three months were wholly suspended for five years on condition he does not commit an act of violence within that period.

Prosecutor Edward Ndlovu said on October 26 this year at around 3am, Msipha was on his way home from a night club when he saw Moyo, who grabbed him and shouted to Ndlovu to come and assault him.

"He was hit at the back of the head by a heavy object, sustained several lacerations and fell unconscious," he said.

Msipha was rescued by another patron who heard him screaming prior to fainting and alerted the police, who took him to hospital.

It is understood the two had mistaken Msipha for someone whom they had had a misunderstanding with earlier in the bar.

A medical report produced in court indicated that Msipha was likely to suffer some disability in future as a result of injuries sustained during the attack.

"Cases of assault are on the increase in Gwanda and the courts should be seen to pass deterrent sentences. You hit complainant using a weapon on the head, a sensitive part of the body, in some cases such assaults have led to death," the magistrate in passing sentence, said.