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After the sentence was passed, Matutu said he would appeal against both conviction and sentence saying his case was politically-motivated.
Matutu had denied the charge when his trial opened before Masvingo magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso, but was convicted at the end of the trial.
Mr Mudzongachiso imposed a fine on Matutu saying he was a first offender.
Earlier on, Mr Mudzongachiso had, in his judgment, ruled that the State had proved a prima facie case against Matutu.
Chief Serima, his brothers Mr Naftal Serima and Mr Gondo Pindura, were key state witnesses in the case and testified that the deputy Minister assaulted the chief.
On the defence case, Mr Mudzongachiso found against Matutu that his testimony was riddled with inconsistencies because his witnesses contradicted each other.
Before sentence was passed, prosecutor Mr Frank Chirairo had urged the court to impose a stiff penalty on Matutu arguing that he was a senior Government official, who should lead by example in the public sphere and refrain from violent conduct. Mr Chirairo further submitted that a stiffer sentence would act as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.
He added that by assaulting a chief who has a high social standing, Matutu had committed a serious offence. Through his lawyer, Mr Douglas Mwonzora of Mwonzora and Associates, Matutu pleaded for lenience.
Mr Mwonzora, in his submissions, said the law should be applied equally irrespective of the position one holds in society.-The Herald
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