A 51 year old Beatrice man caused a stir at Chitungwiza magistrates’ court after he drank a poisonous liquid upon conviction for cell phone theft.
Cuthbert Shoko was convicted for stealing his niece’s phone by magistrate Francis Mapfumo.
The magistrate was about to deliver his sentence when Shoko suddenly took a small bottle with a poisonous substance from his pocket and gulped the contents before court orderlies reached for him.
Shoko was out of custody during his trial.
He then took the bottle and hit the magistrate on face with it before he was apprehended by prison authorities who then rushed him to Chitungwiza hospital.
Mapfumo was forced to adjourn court business.
According to the state, Shoko was an employee at Tavistock Estates in Beatrice.
He stole a cell phone from his wife’s sister Yeukai Mutefani (25)
Allegations against him arose on April 15 this year.
His niece was having a drink with her boyfriend Chester Mupfimbwa and Edmore Chandanangirira at Hippo Drum Bottle Store.
The three then went to Beatrice motel where Mutefani had a disagreement with her boyfriend.’
She then gave her cell phone to Chandanangirira for safe keeping after striking her boyfriend with a bottle on the face and arm.
Chandanangirira then took the phone to his place and the following day Shoko went to Chandanangirira’s place where he resided together with Mutefani’s boyfriend to help him nurse his injuries.
He then took Mutefani’s phone from Chandanangirira, saying he was going to deliver it but never did.
He was arrested after he failed to account for the cell phone.