Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku [email protected]
A BULAWAYO dental surgeon who lost his cool and sent chilling death threats to a fellow practitioner over WhatsApp has been convicted and ordered to pay a US$100 fine.
Macintosh Gwiza (43), a dental surgeon at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), appeared on Wednesday for sentencing before Bulawayo Magistrate Mr Golden Muyambo, charged with making death threats.
Mr Muyambo ordered Gwiza to pay a fine of US$100, or face three months in prison should he fail to pay the money.
In delivering the sentence, the magistrate said the State, represented by Mr Arnold Mudekunye, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“The State produced WhatsApp messages which you (the offender) sent threatening to kill the complainant, and the witnesses corroborated this in their testimony, telling the court that in the said messages, you said you have a gun to shoot the complainant,” said Mr Muyambo.
In aggravation, the prosecutor, Mr Mudekunye, urged the court to pass a stiff penalty, arguing that Gwiza’s actions were highly uncalled for, especially coming from a senior medical professional who is expected to uphold the highest standard of dignity and sanity in society.
Mr Mudekunye also said: “The offence was planned and the offender is a danger to his colleagues and to society.”
Mr Mudekunye noted that the dental surgeon showed utter disrespect for the law by bragging about his political ties to intimidate his colleague, creating an unsafe working environment. The prosecutor further argued that the complainant suffered severe psychological trauma after the offender sent him death threats via WhatsApp.
“The State prays for a custodial sentence to send a message to would-be offenders and so that he would reform from his uncouth behaviour,” said Mr Mudekunye.
The complainant is Stephen Maqhawe Osaka Saka (43), a dental surgeon.
Mr Mudekunye told the court that on 22 and 23 November last year, Gwiza sent a barrage of hostile WhatsApp text messages and audio recordings to Mr Saka’s mobile phone line.
“In the recordings, Gwiza explicitly threatened to shoot Mr Saka dead, boasting that nothing would happen to him because he was highly connected in political circles,” the court heard.
Terrified by the threats, Mr Saka reported the matter at Mzilikazi Police Station. Detectives from the Cyber Crime unit stepped in and successfully retrieved the deleted audio files and text logs from the offender’s mobile phone, which were used as evidence in court.
