adminNokusa Masuku Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man allegedly assaulted a police officer after he bumped into him with his bicycle. Bongani Runya, 25, fell from the bicycle after an irate Gugulethu Kulu, 32 slapped him.
Runya’s cellphone was damaged during the assault and he was rescued by another police officer, Mbonisi Nyoni, 34, who was passing by.
When Nyoni tried to handcuff Kulu, his friend Mduduzi Sibanda, 20, grabbed the handcuffs and threw them away.
Sibanda allegedly told Nyoni that he could not arrest his friend in his presence claiming that he was also a police officer.
Sibanda and Kulu appeared separately before Western Commonage magistrate Temba Chimiso on Tuesday.
Kulu was facing an assault charge while Sibanda was facing a charge of impersonating a police officer.
They were both not asked to plead and remanded in custody to April 27.
Prosecuting Kenneth Shava told the court that on Sunday, Runya was on his bicycle from work when he came across Kulu with his friends near Masiyephambili and Rangemore intersection.
“Runya rang his bicycle bell warning Kulu and his friends to give way to him so that he could pass. They ignored him. Runya accidentally bumped into Kulu with his bicycle handle,” said Shava.
He said Runya then stopped his bicycle and apologised to Kulu.
Kulu, who was already fuming, hurled insults at Runya and slapped him several times on the face, a court heard.
Shava said Runya fell from his bicycle and his cellphone’s screen cracked.
The court heard that while Kulu was assaulting Runya, Nyoni stopped him and when he was about to handcuff Kulu, Sibanda grabbed the handcuffs and threw them away.
Nyoni and Runya eventually apprehended Kulu and Sibanda.
The assault on the officer comes two weeks after a Bulawayo man was arrested for hitting a police officer with a stone in a bid to save his friend from being arrested.
His friend had assaulted a man at Marula Sports Bar in Emganwini.
Adam Ncube, 33, hit Amos Nzenga at the back of the neck when he was trying to handcuff his friend Thabani Nkomo.
Online Reporter