A VICTORIA Falls man who allegedly became violent at a fuel garage and assaulted two cops as he resisted arrest has appeared in court.
Constables Prosper Zingi and Nollen Mhanga of Victoria
Falls Police Station had been deployed at Marange Fuel Service Station to
control a fuel queue and enforce social distancing.
Tinashe Macharaga (30) allegedly jumped the queue and
pushed his vehicle towards the pump resulting in the two police officers
ordering him to remove his car.
Macharaga allegedly became violent. He allegedly grabbed a
pair of handcuffs that the officers tried to put on his hands before kicking
both officers. The trio tussled and the cops managed to subdue and arrest
Macharaga.
He pleaded not guilty to assaulting a peace officer when he
appeared before Victoria Falls Resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa who
remanded him out of custody to today for continuation of trial.
He claimed that Constables Zingi and Mhanga assaulted him and forced him to move his car from the queue.
“I was at Marange Fuel Service station where I had left my car in the queue the previous evening. I went back in the morning for fueling and when it was my turn, I pushed my car towards the pump and that is when the police officers came and said I should remove my car from the queue,” said Macharaga.
He said he was treated at the hospital as a result of the assault.
Constables Zingi and Mhanga said they were deployed to maintain order at the fuel service station when Macharaga became violent towards them.
“He started shouting at me and my colleague when we told
him to move his car. He accused us of being corrupt saying we wanted to create
space for our friends to refuel ahead of him. We told him that he was
disturbing the peace but he said he wasn’t afraid of police as he had a
relative who is our boss at police headquarters. I grabbed his hand to arrest
him and he grabbed the handcuffs,” said Constable Mhanga.
Prosecuting, Mr Listen Nare said Macharaga became
unreasonably violent and disorderly after being told to move his car from the
queue.
“On the 16th day of June 2020 the accused was at Marange
Fuel service station when the two police approached him and told him not to
disturb the fuel queue. The two police officers then formally told Macharaga
that he was under arrest and tried to handcuff him.
“The accused resisted arrest by refusing to be handcuffed.
He snatched the handcuffs from Constable Mhanga and assaulted Constable Zingi
by kicking him on the chest. He also kicked Constable Mhanga on the ankle and
hand. The two police officers eventually overpowered the accused and handcuffed
him,” said Mr Nare.
He said the two police officers did not seek medical
attention. Herald
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