adminsending threatening text messages.
The act criminalises anyone who sends any text message that is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or threatening character.
Amos John (33) of Houmed Farm in Beatrice, previously employed by a farmer, David George Richards (58) was engaged in a land dispute that later proved costly to him.
He admitted to sending threatening text messages to his former paymaster that he was to lose the farm if he could not abide by his demands.
Prosecutor Ms Tafadzwa Makwande proved that on December 12, at around 6pm, the disgruntled John took his cellphone and texted a message to his former boss purporting that it was coming from Chief Inspector Nyambizi from the police General Headquarters.
The message was instructing him and the other Beatrice police to stop using the farm.
He further warned that what they were doing was within the offices of ministry of defence and were to expect CID officers the following day.
This prompted Richards to visit Insp Nyambizi to verify the message.
Upon conducting investigations, it was established that John was the one who was trying to blackmail Richards and this led to his arrest.
He was sentenced to a wholly-suspended six-month jail term on condition that he performs the unpaid work at Chimudazi Primary School in Beatrice.
He appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.
Online Reporter