Russell Mapuvire
ZVISHAVANE- A 26-year-old taxi driver appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Archie Wochiunga on February 15 facing charges of assault and damage to property after attacking one of his passengers.
It was the state case as presented by prosecutor Isheanesu Mashayanye, that Tinashe Mpofu a Toyota FunCargo driver residing at 1305 Isaya Park assaulted and damaged items of a female passenger Miranda Phiri (20) of village 19 Oreti under Chief Mafala.
It is reported that on February 8, 2022 at around 1630hours Phiri boarded a white FunCargo driven by Mpofu on her way back home. She told the driver that she was to be dropped at Madata bus stop before Dadaya turnoff along Zvishavane-Mbalabala road.
When she saw that the driver had passed her station, she reminded him but he was defiant telling her that he was going to drop her where he wanted.
Mpofu then stopped the car and ordered Phiri to disembark and she told him where she wanted to go saying she could go not back on foot because of the heavy luggage she was carrying.
He came where she was seated and pulled her hair forcing her out of the car. Mpofu started to throw her luggage on the ground and demanded his money whilst man handling her by the neck.
After that, he took her left hand and forcefully bent her fingers, slap her once on left cheek before she fell down.
Mpofu started kicking her several times on her ribs, stomach and lower abdomen. During the assault, her cellphone fell down and Mpofu stepped on it several times until it ceased to function. He went on to step on her plastic bag with groceries several times and almost all the groceries got crashed.
Phiri told him that he had damaged her phone when he was on his way to his car and went back to her, hit her three times with open fists on back of her head and she fell down.
He went back to his car and he reversed it saying that he wanted to kill her but other passengers told him to stop and he drove away.
Mpofu, who pleaded guilty was then ordered to perform 105hours of community service at Gresham primary school and failure to do so will result in him being sentenced to three months in prison.
He was also ordered to pay ZW $64 400-00 for the damaged property which include a laptop and a cellphone and he should complete the payment before 30 March 2022 or he will be imprisoned for four months.
