A HARARE man, Cosmas Chandichareva was on Thursday slapped with a $100 fine or alternatively sentenced to serve a 10-day jail term after being convicted of carelessly handling his firearm.
BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRA
Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe heard that on Wednesday last week, Chandichareva (62) parked his car at Old Hararians Sports Club and proceeded to the tennis courts, where he played tennis with his friends leaving the gun, an FN Brown pistol, with a five rounds magazine, in a satchel in his car.
When he returned to the car, he realised it had been broken into and the satchel containing the gun had been stolen.
The satchel, the court heard, was later recovered at house number 15 Van Praagh Milton Park, with all its contents, including the gun intact.
In passing sentence, Mahwe said ignorance of the law was not a defence, but said the court had been lenient with Chandichareva because he was a first offender.
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The court said Chandichareva will get back his firearm upon production of a valid licence.