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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A 45-YEAR-OLD Gutu Rural District Council (RDC) employee was jailed for an effective 12 months for holding captive a businessman who had failed to pay his rentals on time to the local authority.Verengai Mutema of 156 Old Location pleaded not guilty to a charge of unlawful detention when he appeared before Gutu resident magistrate Mr Nyasha Vhitorini on Monday.
He was however, convicted due to overwhelming evidence and sentenced to 14 months of which two months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecutor Ms Agatha Gabriel told the court that on 18 January, Verengwa, who worked in the finance department, was assigned by council to collect rentals from all its premises in the district.
The court heard that Mr Gibson Mutambara,a businessman, was at his premises at Chivaka Business Centre when Mutema arrived at about 1pm.
Mr Mutambara rents one of the shops belonging to Gutu RDC. Upon arrival, Mutema demanded payment and Mr Mutambara told him that he had no money but promised to pay in a few days’ time.
Mr Mutambara’s response did not go down well with Mutema who quickly force-marched him into one of the rooms at the shop. He locked him in and left.
Mutema returned in the evening and asked Mr Mutambara if he had managed to get the money. Mr Mutambara told Mutema that there was no way he could have looked for the money since he had left him locked up in the room.
The court heard that Mutema got incensed and left Mr Mutambara still locked in the room. Mr Mutambara was reportedly rescued by members of the public later that evening.
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