Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – A 26-year-old Mwenezi police officer, Brian Siyabonga was left nursing a swollen left palm and later referred to hospital after he was bitten by a motorist whom he had stopped at a roadblock along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, the Mwenezi Magistrates’ court heard.
Amos Hananda (26) of House Number 100 Dulibadzimu, Beitbridge, appeared before magistrate Langton Ndokera facing charges of contravening section 176 of the Criminal Law Act Chapter 9:23 ‘assaulting or resisting peace officer’.
Hananda pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 30 days behind bars or alternatively pay a fine of US$120.
State facts as presented by prosecutor Willard Chasi were that on November 3 at around 15:00 hrs, police officers who included Siyabonga, Ziyamba, Chibhaki, Moyo, Lameck and Tshuma were manning a roadblock at the 168 kilometre peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
Upon arriving at the checkpoint, Hananda, who was driving a commuter omnibus with dysfunctional tail lights and had no operator’s licence, was informed of the offences. He was also informed that he had previously been warned of the same offence at the same place.
Hananda was ordered to drive his vehicle to Rutenga Police Post but he refused. Constable Lameck tried to handcuff him but he was pushed away. It was at this stage that Constable Siyabonga took the handcuffs intending to handcuff Hananda but he too was bitten on the left palm.
With the help of Sergeant Mabuto who was passing through the roadblock, the police officers managed to arrest Hananda.
Siyabonga sustained a swollen left palm and was referred to Neshuro District Hospital. A medical report was produced as exhibit in court.local
