adminBabbington Machingura Midlands Reporter
A gardener from Gweru allegedly held his employer hostage for three hours, accusing her of dismissing him unlawfully. Last Masocha, whose age was not given, allegedly went berserk when his employer Ms Mavis Musekiwa fired him. He detained her in the house demanding her to follow a normal labour procedure of dismissing an employee.
Masocha was last week arraigned before Gweru magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipha facing kidnapping and theft charges. He pleaded guilty to both counts and was remanded in custody to February 8. The State’s case was that on January 10, Masocha went to Musekiwa’s house demanding payment as compensation for unlawful dismissal.
Ms Musekiwa refused to pay the undisclosed amount, arguing that she did not have the money to do so. This infuriated Masocha, who started threatening Ms Musekiwa with unspecified action if she refused to pay him. Masocha, the court heard, proceeded to the electricity meter box and removed a breaker, thereby disconnecting electricity to Ms Musekiwa’s house. Ms Musekiwa ran into the house and locked herself inside until Masocha left. She then decided to go and buy bread at a nearby tuckshop and she discovered that Masocha had locked the gate with a chain and a padlock before he left.
Online Reporter