A POLICE officer stationed at Magwegwe Police Station in
Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly breaking a woman’s arm after accusing
her of habouring a suspected fugitive in her house.
It is alleged that Brian Mugandi (31), who was in company
of three other cops — Mr James Runesu, Mr Luzibo Kasondela and Mr Nkosilathi
Khumalo — went to look for Norman Zikhali, an ex-convict, at his ex-wife Ms
Sitshengisiwe Sibanda’s (46) house in Old Magwegwe suburb. When the four police
officers arrived at Ms Sibanda’s house, the woman told them that she did not
know his whereabouts and Mugandi started assaulting her.
It was not mentioned in court why the police officers were
searching for the ex-convict.
Mugandi pleaded not guilty to assault charges before West
Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube.He was remanded in custody to August 23 for
judgment.
Prosecuting, Mr Tapiwa Solani said on May 31 this year at
around 9AM, Mugandi broke Ms Sibanda’s arm by twisting it.
“Mugandi assaulted Ms Sibanda by slapping her thrice on her
face and twisted her arm intending to cause her bodily harm,” he said.
Ms Sibanda testified that police officers asked to search
her house for her ex-husband and she told them she did not know about Zikhali’s
whereabouts.
“I told them that I no longer stay with Zikhali as he is
now my ex-husband and while Constable Runesu requested for my details, his
colleague Constable Mugandi started assaulting me saying that I was hiding a
fugitive that the police were looking for,” she said.
“As a result of the assault I sustained a broken arm and
the police officers also proceeded to handcuff me and took me to the police
station.”
The court heard that at Magwegwe Police Station, an
ambulance was called to ferry the complainant to Mpilo Central Hospital for
medical assistance.
Ms Sibanda said Mugandi did not mention at the hospital
that he had broken her arm but lied that he was assisting her. A report was
made at the Magwegwe Police Station leading to the arrest of Mugandi. Chronicle
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