Man assaults magistrate, prosecutor in court

Living Madubeko (30) who was facing shoplifting charges together with his accomplice Geshom Muvingi (29) had appeared before magistrate Ms Tancy Dube.
They said Madubeko was angered by the magistrate when she remanded him in custody soon after the conclusion of his trial.
He suddenly jumped out of his dock and grabbed a chair and started assaulting Ms Dube and the prosecutor Miss Chipo Matshe, said the source.
The sources said Madubeko had earlier pleaded with the magistrate during trial to be remanded out of custody for sentencing.
However, Ms Dube refused.
The source said Ms Dube refused on the grounds that she wanted to assess Madubeko’s previous convictions in other cases.
The man then ran amok after the magistrate’s pronouncements were translated to him in Shona.
During the trial, Ms Dube had found Madubeko guilty of shoplifting and remanded the accused in custody for sentencing.
Madubeko, however, pleaded with the magistrate to be remanded out of custody but she denied him freedom.
She said she wanted to assess his other previous convictions, said the source.
Madubeko then jumped out of the dock and grabbed a chair before he started assaulting Ms Matshe.
“He struck Miss Matshe with a chair twice on the back and in the process the chair broke into pieces. He then reached for another chair and assaulted Ms Dube as she ran out of the courtroom with other court officials.
“It was during the stampede that Ms Dube sustained a fractured leg. The situation was then calmed when the police with the help of prison officers arrested Madubeko,” said the source.
The source said Ms Dube and Miss Matshe were taken to Clay Bank Private Hospital.
Miss Matshe was treated and discharged while the magistrate who sustained a fractured leg was transferred to Bulawayo, said the source.
Ms Matshe confirmed the incident.
“Yes, I was assaulted. I am off sick after an accused person assaulted me with a chair. However, you can get the full details from my bosses,” she said.
Midlands provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa confirmed the incident.
She was, however, reluctant to give details on the matter and referred this reporter to the Chief Magistrate, Mr Mishrod Guvamombe, for a comment.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Guvamombe were fruitless.