First defiant white farmer convicted

The first white farmer convicted of defying an order to vacate his property
under Zimbabwe's campaign to put more land in black hands has been given a
suspended prison sentence, notes a report on the News24 site. A Harare
magistrate gave Deon Theron, a vice-president of the white-dominated
Commercial Farmers Union, one month to leave his farm and a six-month
prison sentence, suspended for five years on condition he does not violate
the Land Act. Theron's lawyer said he would appeal against the conviction
and sentence. The 53-year-old dairy farmer was convicted of unlawfully
remaining on his farm after it was declared state land. The prosecutor had
called for his imprisonment.