The ManicaPost
Melody Vherenaisi
Post Reporter
TRYING to fix a fellow employee who had exposed some underhand dealings at ZUPCO’s Mutare depot terribly backfired for a dispatch clerk who was sued for US$1 080 for pain, suffering and loss of income.
Obvious Charambira (51) of Gwama area of Buhera sued Allan Dzumbika after being arrested on false assault allegations that were made against him by the latter.
Dzumbika had allegedly filed a assault report against Charambira, resulting in the latter being arrested and lost his job as a driver at Matsatse Bus Service which operates under the ZUPCO franchise.
Charambira said as a result of the false report, he spent some time at Mutare Remand before being acquitted by the courts.
Narrating what transpired leading to his arrest, Charambira said he was employed by Matsatse Bus Company as a bus driver and came to know Dzumbika when the bus company joined the ZUPCO franchise.
“During that time, Dzumbika was my boss as he was employed as a dispatch clerk. Dzumbika made a false report against me after I had reported to the bosses at ZUPCO that he that he had stolen diesel together with another employee at the depot. After realising that I was the one who had made the report, this did not go down well with Dzumbika and his colleague. They decided to make a false assault report against me to the police.
“I was at Mudzviti Bus Rank in my bus while loading passengers for a trip to Hobhouse when I was arrested. As I was trying to understand what was happening, people who were in a kombi descended on me and assaulted me. I was dragged out of the bus and my clothes were torn in the melee. I was arrested and escorted to Mutare Central Police Station,” said Charambira.
He said when he was arrested, his contract at Matsatse Bus Company was terminated.
When he was acquitted, he went back to Matsatse Bus Company to reclaim his job, but he was told that they could not take him back since the company was working under the ZUPCO franchise.
“I was told that Dzumbika had told my bosses not to re-engage me, lest their contract with ZUPCO would be terminated,” said Charambira.
Charambira said he suffered emotional stress during the time he was in remand prison.
He said the job loss also affected him as he could have realised at least US$300 from both his driving and other part time jobs that he did for Matsatse Bus Company.
Charambira further said his claim of US$1 080 was for losing his job, loss of income, pain and suffering in prison whereby he felt ill and used US$100 for his medication.
He also said the money was also meant to cover for the transport costs incurred by his family when they visited him while he was in remand prison as well as legal costs.
Charambira said he was forced to sell five goats to raise money to provide for his 24 children and five wives.
He also said Dzumbika was supposed to compensate him for making his 24 children and five wives suffer during the time he spent in prison.
Dzumbika said when Charambira was arrested he was not present.
He also said he had no power to stop him from securing a job in Mutare since he is employed as a mere dispatch clerk.
In his ruling, Mr Chipato ordered Dzumbika to pay Charambira $300 000 for the pain and suffering damages and $300 000 for loss of income.
