Unpaid work for fake honey dealer

Yeukai Karengezeka, Court Correspondent

A 48-year-old woman from Uzumba has been convicted and sentenced to 140 hours of community service after selling 20 buckets of fake honey to a client for US$1 400.

Abigail Musewe and her accomplice, Constance Mudzima (45), were charged with fraud when they appeared before Harare Provincial Magistrate Mr Gerald Chikuse.

Mudzima pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for forgiveness, while Musewe pleaded not guilty.

Musewe’s trial is still pending as she alleges that she only connected the two, but was not part of the fraud scheme.

Magistrate Chikuse initially sentenced Mudzima to 12 months in prison.

However, four months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

Another four months were suspended on the condition that she restitutes the complainant, Mrs Precious Kusotera, the US$1 400 she lost.

The remaining four months were suspended on condition that she performs 140 hours community service.

According to prosecutor Ms Audrah Chitoro, the crime was committed on April 10 at around 2.30pm.

Mudzima falsely claimed she could supply Mrs Kusotera with 20 buckets of pure honey for US$1 400.

After receiving payment, Mudzima delivered the buckets, a mixture of honey and brown sugar.

The fraud was discovered when Mrs Kusotera supplied the product to Kambucha company for processing.