Ex-soldier in court

Post Correspondent
A RETIRED Zimbabwe National Army soldier was ordered to pay $20 fine by a Mutare magistrate after he was found in possession of army uniform.

Gladman Gavhu (55) pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawful possession or wearing of a camouflage uniform as defined in Section 32 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.

Presiding over the matter was Mr Langton Mukwengi, while Mr Fletcher Karombe represented the State.

It was the State’s case that Military Police at HQ 3 Brigade received a tip-off that Gavhu was drinking beer at Piki Business Centre wearing a ZNA camouflage.

Said Mr Karombe: “Upon arrival at Piki Business Centre, the military police received another tip-off that Gavhu had already left for his home. They followed him there and found him wearing the camouflage.”

Gavhu surrendered the camouflage to the military police.

In mitigation, Gavhu told the court that he was in possession of the military camouflage because he was a retired member of the Zimbabwe National Army.

“When I retired, I surrendered everything and was left with the shirt as a souvenir. I erred Your Worship for I did not know that it was illegal,” he told the court.

Mr Mukwengi, however, told him that his failure to surrender all military property when he retired had been the cause of the arrest and dragging to court.