Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere has been fined US$500 following her conviction in a case she was accused of publishing falsehoods undermining the police.

She was found guilty of communicating a falsehood prejudicial to the State and law enforcement after a full trial during which she denied the allegations.

She was however cleared of wrongdoing in the main charge of publishing falsehoods.

Harare magistrate Taurai Manuwere ruled that Mahere will face a three months jail term if she fails to pay the fine.

Mahere was arrested after she allegedly tweeted that a police had struck a baby to death with a baton stick.

"You are a female offender aged 37, for the past 37 years you have been a law abiding citizen with no conviction.

"You have been on remand for almost two years and this trial took over 10 months.

"You spent 10 days in pretrial incarceration. You did not premeditate to commit this crime and this on its own is mitigatory.

He added that Mahere's conduct had left the ZRP in 'bad light'.

"However, I'm not going to send you to prison because your moral blameworthiness is not too high.

"You are a female first offender gainfully employed.

"Custodial sentence will make you lose employment and cause suffering to your parents who rely on you," said the magistrate.