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magistrate announced the sentence at the Bindura Magistrates’ Court.
Alois Zindoga (39) had denied the bribery charge when he appeared before magistrate Miss Mercy Masamvi.
However, he was convicted owing to overwhelming evidence.
Prosecutor Mr Trymore Makunya proved that on April 9 this year, Zindoga tried to offer Constable Benjamin Masenda of Bindura Central Police Station US$3 bribe to evade paying a fine for failing to produce a defensive driver’s license.
He was also carrying more than the stipulated number of passengers.
Public transport drivers are required to under-go defensive driving.
Const Masenda ordered him to pay an admission of guilt fine of US$20 after he failed to produce the defensive driver’s licence and explain why he was overloading.
Zindoga decided to bribe Const Masenda.
But Const Masenda turned down the bribe offer and immediately arrested him.
The State called for a deterrent punishment and proposed a custodial sentence of three months.
“Bribery and corruption are regarded with thorough disapproval since they undermine the social fabric and the orderly function of the State institutions in which circumstance the most appropriate punishment should be imprisonment.
“In this vein, I propose a custodial sentence of three months, one for each dollar,” said the prosecutor.
Magistrate Masamvi, in passing the sentence, hailed the policeman for refusing to accept the bribe.
Online Reporter