National

Victoria Falls butcherman punished for impregnating minor

Published

3 years ago

May 13, 2022

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 21-year-old Victoria Falls man has been sentenced to perform 525 hours of community service for having sex with a minor, who eventually fell pregnant.

Thamsanqa Sibanda, who was employed at a butchery at the Mfelandawonye suburb, was convicted by magistrate Linda Dzvene for having sexual intercourse with a minor.

Prosecutors said sometime in June last year, Sibanda proposed love to the 15-year-old girl and she accepted.

Between June and October, the two had sexual intercourse on several times at a storeroom at the butchery where Sibanda was employed.

The matter came to light in December when it was discovered that the girl was pregnant, leading to her lover’s arrest.

Dzvene said before arriving at an appropriate sentence the court took into account Sibanda’s plea of guilt and that he was a first time offender.

“In the instant case, the accused is 21 years old while the complainant is 15, there is so much age disparity and this is aggravating,” she said.

“The fact that the complainant got pregnant as a result of the sexual act is also aggravating.

“She is now faced with motherhood at a very early age and the courts have the duty to protect young girls against sexual predators, hence I have disregarded the fine as an option or jail sentence as the two were genuinely in love.

“And considering the fact that the accused is a youthful offender and has accepted his responsibilities, it is in my view that it will be to no one’s benefit to send the accused to jail as it will be too harsh.”

Sibanda was handed 18 months imprisonment of which three months imprisonment was suspended for five years while the other 15 months was altered to 525 hours of community service at Chisuma Clinic.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

4 weeks ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

2 months ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.