admin
Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
An MDC Renewal Team activist who was caught as he was about to bomb Harvest House was yesterday sent to jail for eight months for possessing articles for criminal use.
Leonard Dendera (32) of Zengeza 3 in Chitungwiza was also fined US$100 for deliberately supplying false information to a public authority.
Dendera was caught at Harvest House during the night with various articles for criminal use including a hacksaw, a pair of gloves, 2kg of fertiliser, three empty bottles and two litres of petrol.
Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe sentenced Dendera to 12 months in jail before suspending four months on the charge of possessing articles for criminal use.
“A combination of fertiliser and petrol causes serious damage similar to a bomb. It is clear you belong to another breakaway faction of the MDC-T and your motives were political.
“You were about to commit political violence. Usually those who destroy other people’s property have nothing and do not know how it feels to have their property destroyed,” he said.
Represented by his lawyer. Mr Jacob Mafume, Dendera told the court in mitigation that he had no assets of value nor savings.
“He is a parent and is unemployed. May the court consider a fine for the two charges because there are emotions involved between the two parties, they have a number of issues . . .” he pleaded.
Prosecutor Ms Francesca Mukumbiri told the court that on April 25 this year at Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Avenue in Harare, Dendera was caught with a pair of gloves, 2kg of fertiliser, three empty bottles and two litres of petrol.
The following day Dendera made a false police report that he lived at No. 3 Chigunguru Road, Zengeza 1 while, in fact, he lived at house number 16265 Zengeza 3, Chitungwiza.
He also reported that he was assaulted by MDC-T spokeperson Douglas Mwonzora and Joseph Madziwa at Harvest House when that was not the case.
Online Reporter