The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube and Luthando Mapepa
TWO rowdy Hobhouse, Mutare residents were arrested for taking the law into their hands and assaulting security officers who were enforcing lockdown restrictions and shoving them into raw sewage that was flowing in a storm drain.
The two, Stanley Chifamata and Aaron Samusodza’s moment of madness was captured on a video that has since gone viral on social media with people calling on the law to descend heavily on the culprits. The incident occured as members of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee — Biron Mudimu and Rushmore Mabvengwa who are attached to Hobhouse Police Base — tried to arrest the two for not putting on face masks. Chifamata and Samusodza were not asked to plead when they appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Richard Ramaboa yesterday (Thursday), facing two counts of assault as defined in Section 89 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:33.
They were remanded out of custody to April 1 on $20 000 bail each.
Principal public prosecutor, Mr Tiriwamambo Kangai said: “On February 2, Mudimu was in the company of Mabvengwa as they carried out their patrol duties in Hobhouse. Chifamata was not wearing a face mask and Mudimu approached him intending to effect an arrest.
“Chifamata resisted being handcuffed and wrestled Mudimu. Samusodza joined in the melee and assaulted Mudimu and pushed him into raw sewage. Members of the public gathered and started taking videos of the incident. The duo sustained injuries.”
Meanwhile, a Chipinge soldier was on Monday arraigned before the courts for resisting arrest and assaulting police officers manning a roadblock in the farming town.
The accused, Simbarashe Kanidza, appeared before Chipinge provincial magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira, facing charges of resisting and assaulting a police officer.
Kanidza was also charged of possessing dagga. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody after bail was denied.
Prosecuting, Mr Timothy Katsande said on February 6, Kanidza was arrested for violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations.
“Kanidza was going into town and was stopped by the police but he defied their instructions. Police officers led by Sergeant Wenzile Dube, Constable Autilia Jack and Constable Leopold Makumbinde tried to handcuff him, but he resisted. Kanidza wrestled with Constable Makumbinde, grabbed him by the collar and chocked him with an elbow. He pushed him to the ground before punching him twice in the face.
“Kanidza also punched Constable Jack thrice on her breast. The police officers grouped and managed to arrest Kanidza. They searched him and found a twist of dagga wrapped in a plastic bag in one of his pockets,” said Mr Katsande.
The matter was remanded to February 23 for trial.
