Former Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Petronella Kagonye, has suffered a significant legal blow as her appeal in the Supreme Court has been entirely dismissed, following a prior defeat in the lower court.
Kagonye’s conviction stems from her involvement with 20 computers originally donated by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). These computers were intended for schools in her Goromonzi South constituency but were diverted for her personal use.
In June 2022, Kagonye was handed a 36-month prison sentence, with 12 months suspended on the condition of good behavior for five years. Furthermore, 8 months were additionally suspended, pending her restitution of US$10,000—the value of the missing laptops.
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The High Court determined that two laptops had been distributed to tertiary students at a rally, while another was donated to a Ruwa school for the physically impaired, all in violation of the trust agreement with POTRAZ.
The Supreme Court upheld both the conviction and sentence issued by the High Court, echoing the earlier decision by the Magistrates Court, which had also found her guilty.
Consequently, Petronella Kagonye remains convicted and will serve the remainder of her sentence, as affirmed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).