Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A 32-year-old police officer based in Beitbridge who violently attacked a shop attendant using an empty beer bottle in a quarrel over change was on Tuesday jailed for an effective nine months by the Beitbridge regional magistrate court.
Ziggie Khonzani, who is deployed to the border town, had been charged with attempted murder but was found guilty of assault after a full trial before regional magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa.
He was left with nine months effective in jail when the magistrate set aside nine months of his 18 months’ jail term for five years.
Prosecuting, Ms Tsitsi Mtukuwa told the court that on May 5, the police officer went to a local butchery in Beitbridge town around 9pm.
He then bought meat using a US$20 note and he was told there was no change immediately.
In response, Khonzani flew into rage and he picked up an empty beer bottle which he used to hit the till operator on the left side of the head, causing near-fatal wounds.
The police officer was later restrained from further attacking the complainant by another man who was in the butchery.
The matter was, in turn, reported to the police, who swiftly arrested him.
