Gang of 8 jailed one year each

A gang of eight people from Chitungwiza and Beatrice that forcibly took a coffin containing the body of Tinashe Pise to a beerhall and stole cash and beer amounting to $1 600 has been sentenced to one year in prison each.

Tendai Pise (24), Patience Mafunganzira (25), Ishmael Mandipanga (22), Stanley Charura (27), Brendon Simon (21), Rumbidzai Manyika (21), Stewart Jameson (23) and Lovemore Chabhara (27) appeared before Chitungwiza resident magistrate Mrs Yeukai Chigodora charged with two counts of theft each and taking a corpse illegally.

They all pleaded not guilty, but were convicted after a full trial.

Mrs Chigodora initially sentenced the eight to four years in prison each, but suspended two years on condition that they would not commit the same offence, while one year was suspended on condition that each of them restitutes $44 and $200 respectively to the two complainants.

The gang will spend the remaining one year in prison each.

Prosecuting, Mr Norman Koropi proved that the gang dishonoured the body of Tinashe Pise by taking it to a bottle store without the relatives’ consent. —The Herald