SHARON Macheso’s estranged husband Kudakwashe Munetsi was yesterday ordered to pay $220 after a warrant of arrest was issued against him over his failure to pay the $200 fine set by the court following his recent conviction of assaulting his erstwhile wife.
PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI SENIOR REPORTER
Munetsi was at the risk of being jailed when he appeared before Harare magistrate Takunda Mutetwa before his lawyer Abisha Muzvaba assured the court they had the money.
Muzvaba applied for the cancellation of the warrant of arrest against Munetsi and told the court his client was not in willful disobedience, but had left the money with his brother before travelling to the rural areas to seek counselling as had been recommended by the court.
“Immediately after his conviction the accused went to his rural home in Murewa for rehabilitation and counseling as recommended. Tatenda Munetsi (accused’s brother) paid the fine at our legal offices and was duly issued with receipts and confirmed.
“The accused only realised yesterday that the receipt indicated that he had made the payment at the legal offices. The default was not willful neither was it contemptuous . . .”
State counsel George Manokore was, however, not amused and warned Munetsi to take the court seriously.
Munetsi, who assaulted Sharon during a domestic scuffle, was fined $200 or four months in prison. He was further slapped with a wholly suspended two months sentence on condition he did not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
