Chinhoyi Councillors Escape Jail After “Prostitute” WhatsApp Tirade
In a courtroom drama that has turned a sleepy Midlands town into a hot‑spot for digital‑age jurisprudence, two Chinhoyi Municipality councillors have dodged a three‑month prison stretch – but not without a hefty price tag.
Ruth Chikukwa and Jacqueline Zenda, both serving the people of Chinhoyi, found themselves on the wrong side of the Cyber Security and Data Protection Act after a heated WhatsApp exchange went viral in the most literal sense. On November 17, Chikukwa fired the first salvo, hurling an insult at 45‑year‑old Linda Sauramba in a local group chat. Zenda, not one to be outdone, doubled down, branding Sauramba a “prostitute” and mocking her age in a message that read, in part: “They do not have power but [they are] just prostitutes… they now want to engage in prostitution in old age. Let them look after grandchildren.”
The offending text was screenshot, printed and presented in court by prosecutor Brighton Machekera, who argued that the councillors had abused a computer system to harass a private citizen. Sauramba, alerted by a fellow group member, went to the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Chinhoyi Central station, saying she felt intimidated and publicly humiliated.
Magistrate’s ruling was swift: both women were found guilty of unlawful conduct under the Cyber Security and Data Protection Act. The sentence? A stark choice a US$350 fine each or three months behind bars. The councillors opted for the former, handing over the cash and walking out of the dock as free women.
Legal analysts are already calling the case a watershed moment. For the first time, Zimbabwe’s courts have signalled that insults fluted through encrypted messaging apps will be treated with the same seriousness as street‑corner harassment. In an age where a single tap can launch a reputation‑shattering campaign, the verdict sends a clear message: power, even elected power, does not grant immunity from digital decency laws.
The case has sparked a flurry of debate on social media – ironically, the very platform that landed the councillors in hot water. While some argue the fine is a slap on the wrist for public officials, others see it as a necessary deterrent against online bullying.
As Chinhoyi returns to its usual rhythm, the two councillors will likely think twice before typing another disparaging remark. For now, they have bought themselves a reprieve, but the court’s warning echoes louder than any WhatsApp ping: in Zimbabwe’s digital public square, words still have consequences.
