Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Former Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Petronella Kagonye, has faced a significant legal setback. Her appeal in the Supreme Court has been wholly dismissed, following an earlier loss in the lower court.
Kagonye’s conviction stems from her actions related to 20 computers that were originally donated through her by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).
These computers were intended to benefit schools in her Goromonzi South constituency but she diverted them to them for her own use.
In June 2022, Kagonye received a 36-month prison sentence, with 12 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour for five years.
Additionally, 8 months were further suspended, contingent upon her restitution of US$10,000—the value of the missing laptops.
The High Court found that two of the laptops had been given to tertiary students at a rally, while one laptop was donated to a Ruwa school for the physically impaired. These actions were in direct violation of the trust agreement established with POTRAZ.
The Supreme Court upheld both the conviction and sentence handed down by the High Court. Similarly, the trial court, the Magistrates Court, had also previously convicted and sentenced her.
As a result, Petronella Kagonye remains convicted and will serve the remainder of her sentence, as confirmed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
For More News And Analysis About Zimbabwe Follow Africa-Press
