Online Reporter
Tsenulo Moyo
AN act of utterly brazen disrespect turned a shared drinking session into a violent confrontation when a 37-year-old man from Mindoro, Matabeleland North Province, assaulted his drinking mate as punishment for allegedly soliciting sex from his sister in his presence.
As if the initial solicitation wasn’t enough to warrant disrespect, Gift Ngozo further allegedly provoked Gideon Dube by responding to his reprimand with a question about whether he was going to have sexual intercourse with his sister.
Upon hearing this, Dube became angered and struck Ngozo on the mouth, resulting in a swollen upper lip. The matter was then reported to the police, leading to Dube’s arrest.
Dube appeared before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Abdenico Ndebele, facing assault charges.
He pleaded not guilty, but was convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of US$100 or its equivalent in ZiG on or before 3 April 2025.
Two months of the sentence were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within three years.
In his defence, Dube claimed he only slapped Ngozo rather than assaulting him with a knobkerrie as alleged.
“The State has proven that Dube slapped the complainant hard on the lips and therefore, he is found guilty.
“A medical report, however, showed that the complainant did not lose teeth during the assault, but that the gaps were from old wounds,” said the magistrate.
The court heard that on 8 January 2025, at around 8pm, Dube and Ngozo were drinking beer at Mindoro shops.
Ngozo allegedly solicited sex from the bar attendant, who is Dube’s sister. Upon hearing this, Dube became angered and struck Ngozo on the mouth. Ngozo, in his testimony, said he was just joking, but Dube took the joke seriously.
He requested that Dube be sentenced to three months imprisonment.
“I lost a tooth during the assault and I cannot chew properly. I am now called sazikhewu in the community, meaning one who has missing teeth. The accused wants to eliminate me because he is interested in my girlfriend,” he said.
In his defence, Dube said Ngozo told him he was going to have sexual intercourse with his sister, and a misunderstanding ensued when Ngozo questioned whether Dube was the one who would be sleeping with her. He further stated that Ngozo did not lose teeth during the assault but had pre-existing gaps in his teeth.
In mitigation, he pleaded for a lesser sentence, stating that he has two children who are still in school.
