A 36-year-old Chenje Village man has been ordered to pay ZWG405 to a community after he broke a locked water tap he said he needed to access because he was thirsty.
Thokozani Ndlovu appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Bentone Matope last week after being charged with malicious damage to property.
Cynthia Mayibongwe Makhaya prosecuted for the State.
The complainant in the case was the Chenje Community, represented by its chairperson, Simeon Ngwenya.
According to court papers, Ndlovu went to a community water tap at Chenje Village B, Chief Shana, Jambezi, at around 6AM on 6 September 2026.
The tap supplies water to the community, but Ndlovu found it locked.
The State case states that he forcibly twisted the tap, breaking its metal neck.
The damage was later discovered by Ngwenya, who reported the matter, leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.
Court papers put the value of the damaged property at US$15, equivalent to ZWG405 at the time.
Ndlovu’s explanation was that he had been thirsty and needed water to drink. He found the community tap locked and unlocked it so that he could access the water.
He was nevertheless charged with contravening Section 140 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23, which covers malicious damage to property.