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Zanu PF official appeals sentence

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LUPANE — A Matabeleland North senior Zanu PF official, John Robert Khumalo, who was slapped with an effective one-year jail term last month for the theft of two community-owned diesel-powered engines worth $7 600, wants to appeal against both conviction and sentence. Khumalo’s lawyer, Solomon Mguni, submitted the application for appeal at the High Court […]

LUPANE — A Matabeleland North senior Zanu PF official, John Robert Khumalo, who was slapped with an effective one-year jail term last month for the theft of two community-owned diesel-powered engines worth $7 600, wants to appeal against both conviction and sentence.

Khumalo’s lawyer, Solomon Mguni, submitted the application for appeal at the High Court on Friday, arguing the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against his client. Khumalo (57) is Zanu PF’s provincial secretary for legal affairs.

Lupane magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba had found him guilty of theft and sentenced him to three years but suspended two years on condition of good behaviour.

In his application, Khumalo said he had chronic health complications which needed regular medical attention. Gwazemba granted him $100 bail pending his appeal hearing.

The State, however, argued the appeal could be thrown out because there was overwhelming aggravating evidence against him.

The State insisted that it was satisfied with the evidence presented by its witnesses in court.

The High Court is yet to set the date for the appeal hearing.

The court heard that sometime in the 1990s, a non-governmental organisation, Norwegian Development Agency, donated two diesel-powered Lister water pumps for villagers carrying out a cattle-rearing project in the Jotsholo area.

Khumalo, who was then a ward councillor for the area, sold one pump to Zipra War Veterans’ Trust chairman Buster Magwizi and lent another one to Christel Dube after the project collapsed.