Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
TWO soldiers stationed at 1.2 Infantry Battalion in Hwange have been arrested after they threatened to kill an officer from the Office of the President and Cabinet before assaulting him.
Philani Nyoni (34) and Sindiso Nkomo (30) were arrested alongside a civilian Tichaona Muyambiri (25) but they appeared separately before Hwange magistrate Ms Ailene Minamati after Muyambiri pleaded not guilty.
Nyoni and Nkomo, both employed by the Zimbabwe National Army stationed at 1.2 Infantry Battalion, Hwange were charged with threats to commit murder and two counts of assaulting Mr Tawanda Mugabe (36) from the President’s Office and another patron.
Nyoni and Nkomo were fined $100 each and in default, one month in jail.
In addition, each was sentenced to two months in prison, which were wholly suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecuting, Mr Trymore Chitumbu said the incident occurred at the Cricket Club in Hwange.
“On the 8th of December 2019 and at Cricket Club in Hwange at around 5AM, the accused persons approached the complainant after they heard him being called Mugabe by his friend. The accused threatened to kill the complainant accusing him of being related to the late former Zimbabwean President Cde Robert Mugabe. They said we must kill that one called Mugabe because Mugabe killed a lot of people in this region,” said Mr Chitumbu.
Nyoni and Nkomo allegedly went on to strike Mr Mugabe once on the left arm with an unknown sharp object and a broken beer bottle.
They also beat up another patron who owed them money with an iron bar.
Muyambiri was separately charged with disorderly conduct after he joined in the fight to defend his younger brother Jimmy Muyambiri who Nyoni and Nkomo also wanted to assault.
Muyambiri of South Cliff, Chibondo used a beer bottle to hit Nyoni.
The bottle broke and injured Nkomo who was nearby. Nkomo and Nyoni used a chair and broken bottle to hit Muyambiri.
The three were arrested and referred to St Patrick’s Hospital for treatment.
Muyambiri was also fined $100 and in default one month in jail.-@ncubeleon
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