adminLuthando Mapepa
SENDING a text message to his neighbours impersonating President Mugabe landed a 38-year-old Chipinge man in trouble after he was dragged to court for contravening Section 88(b) of the Postal and Telecommunications Act Chapter 12.05. The accused Titus Maposa of Mbanje Farm under Chief Mutema appeared before Mrs Sharon Chipanga.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and is awaiting sentence. It is alleged that on July 19 at around 5pm, Titus sent a text message to the complainants Timothy Parenyi and Zaphaniah Mwakanya.
He used an Econet line number to send a text message that reads, “Ecocash Transfer Confirmation: $1 500 from Robert Gabriel Mugabe. Thank you for supporting ZANU-PF. Mupewo vamwe ndezvemusangano izvi, imari ye madiamonds iyi musatyazvenyu. [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>”.
The complainants then made a police report leading to the arrest of the accused. In his defence, Titus alleged that he received the text from somebody as a joke which was viral on social media.
He told the court that the complainants are his neighbours whom he forwarded the text to. “Your Worship, it was not my intention to make them anxious or nervous but I was intending to share a social media joke. I am pleading with the courts because the complainants are my neighbours as well as my friends,” he said.
Mr Brian Madzura prosecuted.
Online Reporter