A FAKE police officer, who pounced on a Bulawayo vendor and confiscated her wares after accusing her of hawking without a licence, has been slapped with 410 hours of community service.
BY SILAS NKALA
Obvious Sithole (34), of Pelandaba in Bulawayo, pleaded not guilty to charge of impersonating a police officer when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Merlyin Mutshina on Wednesday.
The magistrate convicted and sentenced him to seven months in jail. Three months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. Four months were suspended on condition he completed 410 hours of community service.
Prosecutor Kudakwashe Jaravaza told the court that on last Saturday at 3pm along Leopard Takawira Street between Robert Mugabe Way and George Silundika Street, Sithole approached Talent Mandaza (22), a vendor. He introduced himself as a police officer before asking for her vending licence. Mandaza said she had no licence and Sithole told her that she was under arrest before taking her six 250g cups of yoghurt and advised her to follow him to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Other vendors at the place told Mandaza that Sithole was not a police officer and later followed and apprehended him before handing him to the police. The stolen yoghurt was not recovered.
