adminProsper Dembedza Court Correspondent
It is unlawful for soldiers to strip civilians wearing camouflaged clothes, a Harare magistrate said on Friday.
Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe said this while questioning a soldier who stripped a civilian who was wearing a camouflaged T-shirt and assaulted and robbed him if he has such authority.
Simbarashe Sithole (29) was facing robbery charges and was remanded in custody to June 6 for sentence.
Mr Mahwe asked Sithole if he was allowed to take someone’s belongings just like that.
“Do you know that what you were doing was unlawful?” he said.
Sithole, who pleaded guilty, said he only took the camouflaged T-shirt from Lloyd Kuzondishaya.
“I did not steal anything from him but I only took our camouflaged T-shirt he was wearing,” he said.
On May 31, Kuzondishaya was playing at Holly’s Hotel in Harare where he is employed as a disc jockey and Sithole was drinking beer in the hotel.
The court heard that at around midnight Kuzondishaya finished playing and met Sithole who started accusing him of wearing a camouflaged T-shirt.
Sithole took Kuzondishaya to Simon Mazorodze Road flyover where he started demanding money.
He assaulted Kuzondishaya after he told him that he had no money and ordered him to do press ups.
Sithole also searched Kuzondishaya’s pockets.
He reportedly took a T-shirt, a dollar and a Sumsung Galaxy mobile phone.
The court heard that Sithole was arrested on June 1 in a local club after being positively identified by the complainant.
Online Reporter