The State's case against Trinity Gonongono was that, on November 17, 2016, he met Mugabe’s motorcade in a suburb of the resort town but he refused to comply with police orders to pull off to the extreme left of the road and stop as required by law.

State prosecutors said the accused was defiant despite the fact that the long presidential motorcade was being led by police motorcycle outriders with flashing beacon lights and wailing sirens.

In defence, Gonongono said he did not know that the police sirens were a warning for him to pull off the road until the nonagenarian's motorcade had passed.

On that day, Mugabe decided to drive around the resort town after commissioning the newly expanded Victoria Falls International Airport.

However, Gonongono’s four-month sentence was eventually altered to 140 hours of community service at a local police station by Victoria Falls Regional Magistrate, Lindiwe Maphosa, on Tuesday.

ANA