Architect convicted for bigamy

Peter Daniso Sibanda (52), of Number 13 Willoughby Avenue in North End, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to bigamy by senior Bulawayo magistrate, Mrs Thobekile Mkhosana-Matibe on Tuesday.

He was sentenced to six months in prison of which half the sentence was suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour.

The remaining three months were suspended on condition that he performs 105 hours of community service at Townsend High School starting today.

In mitigation, Sibanda, through his lawyer, Mrs Nokuthula Moyo, of N Moyo and Company Legal Practitioners had pleaded with the court to consider giving him the option of a fine since he is gainfully employed.

He pleaded with the court to exercise leniency on him when passing sentence stating that he had made attempts to regularise his matrimonial issues by issuing divorce summons under case number HC 28/13.

In passing sentence, Mrs Mkhosana-Matibe said a fine would trivialise the offence which Sibanda stood convicted of in the light that his blameworthiness is high, as society expects those advanced in age to safeguard material tenets and preserve the family unit.

The State case as presented by the prosecutor, Miss Tarisai Mutarisi is that on 4 June 1988, Sibanda married Mrs Ethel Sibanda (52) under the Marriages Act, Chapter 5:11. Sibanda later entered into another marriage with Kwanele Moyo in 2004 and when Mrs Sibanda discovered this she made a report to the police.