A MAN from Bulawayo has been sentenced to nine months in
prison for kidnapping and forcing two police officers to jump out of a speeding
vehicle at knife point.
Mpumelelo Dube (25) from Nkulumane suburb abducted Mr Leon
Padera (31) and Mr Tafadzwa Tambaoga (37), whose ranks were not mentioned in
court, after they arrested him for parking at a ‘No Stopping Zone.’
The two officers boarded Dube’s vehicle and instructed him
to drive to Bulawayo Traffic West Police Station but he sped towards Nketa 7
suburb where he threatened to stab them.
Dube pleaded not guilty to assault and kidnapping before
West Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube who, however, convicted him.
The magistrate suspended three months on condition that
Dube does not commit a similar offence within the next three years. She further
suspended six months on condition that Dube performs 105 hours of community
service at Nketa Secondary School.
Prosecuting, Ms Tancy Dube said the incident occurred on
August 24 at around 11AM.
“Dube tried to resist arrest by kidnapping two traffic
police officers who were on duty and also threatened to kill them with a
kitchen knife,” said Ms Dube.
She said the two cops jumped from his vehicle as they
feared for their lives. Mr Padera said they were at a roadblock when they
arrested Dube.
“We were at ‘Machipsini’ Robots along Luveve Road when we
arrested the accused person and boarded his Toyota Hiace vehicle. We ordered
him to drive to Traffic West Police Station for further management but he
refused to comply,” he said.
“When he got to the intersection of Nketa Drive and Luveve
Road, the accused person stopped his vehicle and attempted to mobilise touts to
assault us but failed.
“He drove to Hyde Park Road where forced us out of the
vehicle holding a kitchen knife threatening to stab us.”
The matter was reported to the police leading to Dube’s
arrest. Chronicle
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