BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Three Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison wardens were yesterday sentenced to 13 months in jail each for assaulting an inmate and breaking his leg after he picked and pocketed a $1 note while on office cleaning duty.
Taona Nyoni (32), Norman Chari (38) and Marshal Nyandowe (30) will each serve seven months effective jail time after Harare magistrate Sharon Rakafa conditionally suspended six months.
The complainant is Masiiwa Vhitorini, who is serving a jail term for rape.
Rakafa acquitted Godweu Njeku (47), who was being charged together with the three, for lack of evidence.
The State managed to prove a prima facie case against the three officers after witnesses corroborated events that led to the complainant breaking his leg, the magistrate said.
The court heard that on March 13 last year at around 8am, Vhitorini was cleaning offices under the supervision of Njeku and during that process, he picked a bond coin and put it in his pocket.
Njeku noticed that Vhitorini had picked something and ordered him to surrender it.
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Vhitorini then gave Njeku the dollar and the officer allegedly started slapping him demanding that he hands over all the money he had picked.
Nyoni, Chari and Nyandowe then joined in the assault. Nyoni then struck the prisoner on the left leg several times with his service rifle.
They then forced Vhitorini to lie that he was injured while walking.
