Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku [email protected]
A 43-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has been found guilty of unlawful possession and wearing camouflage clothing.
Qhubekani Mkhize (43) from Nguboyenja suburb in Bulawayo appeared on Thursday before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Golden Muyambo facing charges of unlawful possession or wearing a camouflage uniform as defined in Section 32(2) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
In his defence he said: “I got the camouflage in South Africa where I was working as a security guard. I did not know that it is an offence. I had to continue wearing it because I did not know that it is an offence.”
In aggravation Ms Sibusisiwe Sithole submitted that: “Community members are discouraged from wearing camouflage because there are some members of the public who impersonate police officers and commit crimes like extortion.
“The State prays for a deterrent sentence, which discourages members of the public from wearing camouflage.”
The matter was postponed to 5 June for sentencing.
Ms Sithole told the court that on 25 May at around 3.30pm, detectives from the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit were conducting an operation code-named ‘Iron Fist’ when they visited Oswell Mine, Lot 12 Umguza, on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
The court heard that the detectives spotted Mkhize wearing a pair of camouflage trousers near the mine’s main gate.
The detectives approached him, identified themselves using police identity cards and asked him if he had authority to possess the camouflage trousers.
Ms Sithole told the court that Mkhize failed to produce any authority permitting him to possess or wear the camouflage clothing.
He was subsequently arrested and the camouflage clothing were seized as an exhibit.
