adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A 19-YEAR-OLD man who beat up his workmate with a pick handle in a brawl over a cellphone memory card has been fined $100 or 30 days imprisonment for assault.
Takudzwa Shoko of Mariba village in Mberengwa who was employed at Manyosi Mine in Gwanda was convicted of assault by magistrate, Arafat Kozanai, yesterday.
Besides the $100 fine, Kozanai sentenced Shoko to a suspended three months in prison on condition of good behaviour.
Shoko had denied assaulting Mcebisi Sibindi, a fellow mine worker.
A State witness, Eddington Hlongwane, however, told the court that a misunderstanding ensued between Shoko and Sibindi over a memory card.
He said the memory card belonged to Sibindi.
“Sibindi came requesting for his memory card from Shoko. He then took Shoko’s phone stating that he would only return it to the complainant if the accused returned the memory card. On the other hand, accused said he would give complainant his memory card only when he returned his phone.
“During the fracas, Shoko picked a pick handle but complainant moved away. Accused advanced and assaulted the complainant with the pick handle. He continued assaulting complainant until he was restrained by people who were nearby,” Hlongwane said.
He said they managed to disarm Shoko.
Prosecuting, Marllony Mazorodze said on May 21 this year at around 5.30PM at Manyosi Mine, Shoko asked to use Sibindi’s sim card since he had run out of air time.
Sibindi had run out of airtime and the complainant took Shoko’s cellphone and inserted his line which he then handed over to Shoko.
“While Sibindi was inserting his sim card, Shoko was, at the same time, removing the memory card from the complainant’s phone. He started playing with it.
“The complainant then took back his cellphone but later realised that his memory card was missing. He confronted Shoko who denied knowing the whereabouts of the memory card,” the court heard.
Mazorodze said Sibindi then took one of Shoko’s phones and told him he would only return it to him after he recovered his memory card.
The court heard Shoko took a pick handle and hit Sibindi on the left arm resulting in the complainant sustaining injuries.
A police report was made and Shoko was arrested.
Online Reporter