Bulawayo magistrate Challenge Mahembe has convicted and fined Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) member Soneni Moyo US$100 for sending offensive messages to a political rival.
She was charged with contravening Section 88(a) of the Postal and Telecommunications Act, Chapter 12:05, “Sending offensive or false telephone messages.”
“You are sentenced to pay a fine of US$100 or ZWL equivalent on or before June 28, 2024. Failure to pay, you will serve an effective two months’ imprisonment. Three months have been wholly suspended on condition that, in the next four years, you do not commit a similar offence,” Magistrate Mahembe ruled.
Moyo contested as a double candidate for the Phelandaba-Tshabalala constituency in the 2023 harmonized elections.
She was arraigned for sending obscene messages to her rival party member, Raymond Gombedza, in January 2024.
State representative Joseph Rugara narrated to the court that Moyo insulted Gombedza via text messages, uttering obscenities in contravention of the Postal and Telecommunications Act.
“On January 4, 2024, Moyo, using her NetOne mobile number 0712 392 619, sent a series of grossly offensive, indecent, obscene, or threatening messages to the complainant on his mobile number 0772 984 672 in Ndebele language,” said Rugara.
“Some of the messages herein captured read as follows: ‘zwana lema asazani and angidingi ukubakwazi mind yo language ngoba ngizakutshekela mlonyeni, vele ungalingi ukhulume into engangqondananga lawe I faz ngu nyoko. hamba **** unyoko nxa ungasela okokukhuluma. – Soneni Moyo its my name hlukana lalo bizo lonalelo mind ezakho ezikuhluphayo.‘
“The messages were translated to say: ‘Listen/hear me you fool, we don’t know each other and I don’t need to know you, mind your language because I will soil your mouth. Do not attempt to talk about something which does not concern you. FAZ is your mother. Go and have sexual intercourse with your mother if you don’t have something to talk about. Soneni Moyo is my name, stay away.’”
