GWERU — A 70-year-old local man was on Thursday lucky to escape a jail term after he was found guilty of discharging a firearm in a dispute involving prospecting for gold in an illegal area.
Stephen Chadenga
Jephias Muchochomi of Athlone, Gweru, was found prospecting for gold near Shamrock Mine, but when an official from the mine confronted him, he fired in his direction.
Gweru magistrate Pathekile Msipa, however, said because the State did not encourage the incarceration of elderly people, Muchochomi should pay a fine of $200, failure of which he would spend two months in prison.
She suspended a further three months for five years on condition of good behaviour.
Muchochomi’s firearm certificate was cancelled and the firearm forfeited to the State.
It was the State’s case that on May 2, the complainant, Tamburai Mutamba, an adminstration manager at Shamrock Mine, found Muchochomi prospecting for gold near the mine boundary. After confronting him, he became angry and fired towards the complainant, but on the ground.
Mutamba then reported the matter to the police, leading to Muchochomi’s arrest.
