A Bulawayo magistrate lashed out at a police officer who stabbed his friend with a kitchen knife on the cheek for drinking his hot stuff describing him as a “monster and rogue” cop who has dragged the name of the police into disrepute.
Stephen Ndhlovu who appeared most disturbed that the police
officer Bruce Tendai Nyamujara (34) who was stationed at Bulawayo Central used
a dangerous weapon which has on numerous occasions caused deaths subsequently
condemned him to jail for an effective of 24 months with hard labour.
Nyamujara who pleaded not guilty to assault was however,
convicted after a full trial and sentenced him to 30 months imprisonment of
which six months imprisonment were suspended for five years on condition, he
will not within that period convicted of an offence on which assault is an
element and for which upon conviction will be sentenced to imprisonment without
an option of a fine.
In coming up with the sentence, the magistrate took into
consideration the fact that Nyamujara as a police officer he was supposed to
lead by example.
He said instead of protecting the public, the accused has
turned into a monster scarring the complainant for life.
“The offense that the accused is convicted of is very
prevalent hence the need for deterrent sentences. That the weapon used is
dangerous and has on numerous occasions caused death and that the accused is a
rogue police officer who has dragged the name of the police service into
disrepute.
“The accused as a police officer is expected to be a
law-abiding citizen, who should be exemplary, society will lose confidence in
both the police service and judiciary service is such kind of behaviour is
condoned,” charged the magistrate.
Prosecuting Leonard Chile told the court that on 19 August
2020 and at around 4pm the accused was drinking beer with the complainant
Rangarirai Chikuvadze (33) at Millennium Bar situated at Ross Camp in Bulawayo.
The court heard that a fierce argument erupted between the
two parties who had been sharing opaque beer, after Chikuvadze drank
Nyamujara’s hot stuff which he claimed had bought for himself.
It was proved that after the heated scuffle Nyamujara left
the scene and came back later armed with a kitchen knife which he used to stab
the complainant once on the left side of the cheek.
After the brutal attack, Chikuvadze sustained a deep cut
and was referred to hospital for medication. The matter was reported to the
police leading to his arrest.
The accused denied the charge and in his defence outline,
he told the court that the complainant was source of the problem because of his
violent nature.
He said on the day in question, and knowing the
complainant’s violent tendencies whenever he got drunk, after finishing opaque
beer he changed drinking partners but the complainant followed him and started
drinking beer that he had bought.
“I bought another bottle of hot stuff, and told the
complainant that I didn’t want to share it with him but he (complainant) forced
himself on it. When I asked for my hot stuff, the complainant started slapping
me. This led to an altercation resulting in us grappling with each other. At
the height of that grappling, we both fell to the ground,” said Nyamujara.
He further told the court that when he got up, he realised
that Chivaudze was bleeding. “I didn’t know or see what caused the injury but
the area on which we grappled was littered with broken beer bottles and I
suspected that he was cut when we fell down.
“I however, assisted him by taking him to Mzilikazi Police
Station where he later told police officers that it was me who had stabbed him
leading to my arrest,” said Nyamujara.
His defence didn’t however, save him from the jaws of the
prison when the magistrate handed him a package of 30 months behind bars for
the crime. B Metro
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