Manica Post
A 33-YEAR-OLD Dangamvura woman who produced and shared an offensive WhatsApp message attacking Officer Commanding Mutare Central District, Chief Superintendent Florence Marume, has been slapped with a three months jail term by a Mutare magistrate.
However, Rumbidza Totohwiyo of Area 16 was given the option to pay a $2 200 fine after she pleaded guilty to the offence.
She told the presiding magistrate, Ms Prisca Manhibi, that she acted out of ignorance.
Totohwiyo, who was facing public nuisance charges as defined in Section 46 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 9:25, said she was not aware that writing an offensive message and posting it on WhatsApp is a crime.
Public prosecutor, Mr Nyasha Mukonyora said on August 10, Totohwiyo sent the offensive message to a Ward 18 WhatsApp group after Chief Superintedent Marume and her team had raided a shebeen in Nyamauru, Dangamvura.
In the message which was produced in court as an exhibit, Totohwiyo attacked the police boss and said Chief Superintendent Marume’s actions are ‘inhumane’.