Online Reporter
Trish Mukwazo, [email protected]
A 54-year-old man was last week fined US$200 at the Bulawayo magistrates’ court after he was found in possession of two rounds of live ammunition without a firearms certificate.
Menzisi Sithole of Iminyela suburb in Bulawayo who was employed as a caretaker in Hillside was found with two live rounds after he was observed removing them from his trousers pocket
Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Maxwell Ncube, convicted him on his own plea of guilty.
Sithole was sentenced to pay a fine of US$200 or in ZWG equivalent through the clerk of courts or in default, three months imprisonment.
According to the prosecutor, Ms Mufaro Ndirayire, on April 4 at around 5PM, Sithole was observed removing the two live rounds from his trousers pocket and hid them within the guardroom where he was employed as the caretaker.
“On April 6 at around 6PM, the informant who was on duty discovered the two live rounds hidden in the guardroom and made a report to his superiors and a report to the police was made,” said Ms Ndirayire.
She told the court that upon investigation, Sithole was arrested.
In addition to the sentence, the two live rounds were forfeited to the State.
Three years ago, police in Bulawayo arrested another 31-year-old caretaker for illegally selling ammunition, raising concerns that his activities could be aiding armed robbers.
Police raided Langelihle Nyathi, who was employed as a caretaker at Practical Pistol Club located in Donnington industrial site.
He was arrested at his workplace after police received a tip-off on his illegal activities, and they found him in possession of 50 live rounds of ammunition. He then led the police to his house, where they searched and found 391 rounds of ammunition.
