Harare Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti has sentenced three Zimdancehall music promoters and producer DJ Fantan, DJ Levels and Dammer to 12 months in prison after being convicted of breaching COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
Muchuchuti halved the trio’s sentence on the grounds that they did not wasting the court’s time by pleading guilty on initial appearance.
Dj Fantan real name Arnold Kamudyariwa, Levels real name Tafadzwa Kadzimwe and Tinashe Chanachimwe also known as Dammer were convicted yesterday after they organized a musical gig on the new year’s even in breach of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
On sentencing the trio, magistrate Muchuchuti Guwuriro said their plea of guilty was a sign of remorse but had not taken heed of the current lockdown curfew which ran from 10pm to 6am when they made the flier.
“By making the flier they should have foreseen that the public would come in attendance taking into cognizance the area they intended to host the event.
“The court appreciates that they are the face of ghetto youths by encouraging youths to desist from criminal activities and drugs, they should have maintained those good activities than risk the lives of innocent individuals,” she said.
Magistrate Muchuchuti Guwuriro also said the effect of what they did was serious, trashing the defense’s outline after they had said the accused persons wish to serve a community service than being sent to prison.
“Ordering of a fine and community service would trivialize the offence,” ruled Guwuriro.
The three were being represented by Dumisani Mthombeni and Tafadzwa Hungwe while Michael Reza was representing the state.
