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Sharon Buwerimwe, Court Reporter
A MAN from Bulawayo has been sentenced to nine months in prison for kidnapping and forcing two police officers to jump out of a speeding vehicle at knife point.
Mpumelelo Dube (25) from Nkulumane suburb abducted Mr Leon Padera (31) and Mr Tafadzwa Tambaoga (37), whose ranks were not mentioned in court, after they arrested him for parking at a ‘No Stopping Zone.’
The two officers boarded Dube’s vehicle and instructed him to drive to Bulawayo Traffic West Police Station but he sped towards Nketa 7 suburb where he threatened to stab them.
Dube pleaded not guilty to assault and kidnapping before West Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube who, however, convicted him.
The magistrate suspended three months on condition that Dube does not commit a similar offence within the next three years. She further suspended six months on condition that Dube performs 105 hours of community service at Nketa Secondary School.
Prosecuting, Ms Tancy Dube said the incident occurred on August 24 at around 11AM.
“Dube tried to resist arrest by kidnapping two traffic police officers who were on duty and also threatened to kill them with a kitchen knife,” said Ms Dube.
She said the two cops jumped from his vehicle as they feared for their lives.
Mr Padera said they were at a roadblock when they arrested Dube.
“We were at ‘Machipsini’ Robots along Luveve Road when we arrested the accused person and boarded his Toyota Hiace vehicle. We ordered him to drive to Traffic West Police Station for further management but he refused to comply,” he said.
“When he got to the intersection of Nketa Drive and Luveve Road, the accused person stopped his vehicle and attempted to mobilise touts to assault us but failed.
“He drove to Hyde Park Road where forced us out of the vehicle holding a kitchen knife threatening to stab us.”
The matter was reported to the police leading to Dube’s arrest. – @sharonbuwe
Online Reporter