admin
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A Harare woman, who reportedly took a live tortoise covered in red floor polish and tied with a red cloth to intimidate her former employer into paying her outstanding wages, appeared in court yesterday on charges of illegally removing the tortoise from Goromonzi.
Sithembiso Budzirikawa (58) wanted her former employer, Cliff Security, to believe that the tortoise she had brought had powers to siphon money from the company.
Budzirikawa was employed by Cliff Security from April to August last year as a security guard.
She pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawful possession of a live tortoise when she appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Ruth Moyo.
Budzirikawa was fined US$300 payable by September 30 or four months imprisonment.
Prosecutor Ms Nomsa Kangara proved that Budzirikawa took a live tortoise from Chabwino Farm in Goromonzi and moved it to Avondale, Harare, without a permit.
On Tuesday this week, Budzirikawa reportedly carried the tortoise to her workplace after applying red floor polish and tying it with a red cloth pinned with needles.
She demanded money that the company owed her upon arrival and threatened to unleash the tortoise which she claimed could supernaturally take the money.
Cliff Security human resources manager Mr Cassius Nyemudzwa made a report to the police and Budzirikawa failed to produce a licence permitting her to move the tortoise, leading to her arrest.
The recovered live tortoise has a value of US$500, according to the Wildlife Management Authority.
Online Reporter