A Murewa man has been jailed six months behind bars after being caught with a bullet during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s last rally at the National Sports Stadium.

Dozen Mukombero, 34, was jailed by Harare magistrate Josephine Sande after being found guilty of contravening section 4(a) of the Firearms Act which criminalises possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was initially sentenced to nine months in jail before three months were set aside on condition of good behaviour.

In his mitigation, Mukombero told the court that he was a family man and had been sent by an uncle to dispose of the bullet.

I was coming from Murewa and my uncle gave me the bullet to throw it away on his behalf. I put it in my pockets and forgot to do so,” Mukombero said.

“I was actually surprised when I was searched to discover that I still had the bullet because I had already forgotten that I had it in my possession.”

Sande ruled that the State had managed to prove the essential elements of “possession” and convicted him of the offence.

She queried why Mukombero had gone to the political meeting if his intention was to get home and dispose of the bullet.

The complainant was the State represented by Diamond Sibanda, a detective assistant inspector

Prosecutor Fransisca Mukumbiri proved that on July 28, Mukombero was part of the gathering at the said meeting and around 2 pm, he passed through the search point which was manned by Sibanda.

Sibanda discovered that Mukombero had one 12 bore live round in his trousers’ back pocket.

Mukombero had no firearm certificate authorizing the possession and was immediately arrested.