Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Simbarashe Gurajena (54) from Mpopoma, Bulawayo, was fined US$120 for insulting police officers at Pumula Police Station after accusing them of not doing enough to locate his missing son.
Gurajena pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in a public place and was sentenced by Western Commonage magistrate Mehluli Moyo.
He received a four-month prison sentence, with two months suspended for three years, provided he didn’t commit a similar offence.
The remaining two months were suspended on the condition that he pay the US$120 fine by 30 March.
In passing the sentence, Moyo considered Gurajena’s age and the stress of his missing child but stressed the importance of discouraging violent behaviour. Said the magistrate, as quoted by the Chronicle:
The court wants to send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated in the community. This sentence serves as a deterrent to both the accused and others who may engage in similar offences.
Prosecutor Ellen Matenga said the offence took place on 11 January 2025 at Pumula Police Station when Gurajena angrily banged on the crime office door and shouted at the police officers. She said:
Gurajena was shouting at the police in Shona, saying, “Mapurisa imi munongohora mari dzatinokutambirisai mahara, hamusi kuda kutsvaga mwana wangu, ibasa renyu,” which translates to, “You police officers are getting paid for nothing from our tax money, yet you do not want to look for my son when it is your duty”.
According to Matenga, Gurajena went on to insult Assistant Inspector Ngwenya, accusing him in a mix of Shona and English: “Iwewe ndiwe unotengesera vana vedu madrugs, that’s why you don’t want to open a report,” meaning, “You are the one selling drugs to our children, that’s why you refuse to open reports.”
In his defence, Gurajena explained that he was stressed because he had reported his missing son but had not received any response from the police.
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