A Mwenezi man will perform 105 hours of community service after beating his workmate who had refused to accept his wages in bond notes.
John (49) of Bukuvani Village in Mwenezi was initially slapped with a three month imprisonment when he appeared before magistrate Mandlenkosi Ndlovu facing assault charges.
However, the sentence was wholly suspended on condition he performed community service at a local school.
Prosecutor Caroline Pasi told court that on 10 October this year, Mugwari performed a brick moulding piece job together with Kaurai Chauke and were promised their payment in South African rands.
Court heard that Mugwari later went and collected the two’s wages before proceeding to his workmate’s home to hand him his share of the payment in bond notes. This led to a dispute with Chauke insisting on getting his dues in rands as agreed.
Angered by his colleague’s refusal to accept the bond notes, Mugwari then assaulted Chauke with fists all over the body and immediately after the abuse, Chauke rushed to the police and filed a report, leading to Mugwari’s arrest.
Asked in court why he committed the offence, Mugwari said he was angered by his colleague insisting to have his share in South African currency when they had in fact been paid in bond notes.
“He was insisting that the bond notes were useless papers and was demanding his payment in rands,” he said.
Zimbabweans have grown increasingly resentful of their fast fluctuating currency since early October when prices of goods and services shot through the roof with shop owners now also demanding payment in foreign currency.
Government has maintained the bond note was at par with the US dollar although one now needs to fork out more than Z$3 in the form of bond notes to acquire a single US dollar from the black market where it is obtainable.
— NewZimbabwe
