adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A PLUMTREE police officer who is accused of raping a sex worker, beat up three villagers last month after they denied him a ride on their scotchcart.
Robson Ravurai (24) who is stationed at Mphoengs Police Station, appeared in court on Wednesday facing charges of raping the woman after she denied him her services.
He went on to destroy her furniture and then took a bath outside the sex worker’s house in full view of passersby.
The police officer is also reportedly due for a disciplinary hearing after beating up villagers.
A police source said Ravurai met Peter Sibanda (28), who was in the company of his younger sister, Pretty Sibanda (22) and his friend Moseimisi Moyo (21), while travelling in a donkey-drawn scotchcart and ordered them to take him to Simelamela Village where they were coming from.
“Peter pointed out that they were in a hurry and advised the police officer to wait for them as they would pick him up on their way back but this did not go down well with Ravurai,” said the source.
An angry Ruvarai told Peter and his companions that it was against the law to disobey a police directive but the trio insisted on leaving him behind.
She said the police officer then ordered the trio to stop the scotchcart and he directed Peter to alight from the scotchcart.
He punched him several times on the face, tripped him to the ground and kicked him with booted feet.
The police source said during the assault which occurred on 9 December, Ravurai told Peter that failing to follow a directive by a police officer was a punishable offence.
Moyo, who was still on the scotchcart while his friend was being assaulted, jumped off in a bid to save Peter.
“Ravurai then turned on Moyo and hit him on the head with a pair of handcuffs that he was carrying. The two men were saved from further beating from the police officer by passersby who heard screams from Pretty,” said the source.
She said Moyo sustained a deep cut on his ear as a result of the assault while Peter sustained a swollen face.
The source said upon being questioned, Ravurai indicated that he met the trio and stopped them as he wanted to question them.
She said Ravurai further explained that Peter and Moyo became violent and started beating him up for stopping them.
“Ravurai said in his defence, he fought back in order to avoid further assault by the pair and managed to overpower them. The trio, however, denied having provoked the police officer and accused him of beating them up.”
Online Reporter