adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO magistrate will on Monday hand down sentence in a case in which Highlanders’ star midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa savagely assaulted his girlfriend’s friend and her boyfriend.
Maphosa dragged three quarters of Highlanders FC players into a sex scandal after he told the Western Commonage magistrate court on Thursday that he assaulted Amanda Mbuisa – a friend to his girlfriend Nobuhle Nkomo – on Saturday as she was a bad influence who had bedded nearly all his teammates.
He also beat up Bongani Rabvu – Mbuisa’s boyfriend — leaving him with serious facial injuries.
Maphosa, 31, appeared before magistrate Tancy Dube yesterday and was told to come back on Monday.
“You’ll come back to this court on Monday for sentencing,” she said.
Maphosa ran amok and beat up Mbuisa and her boyfriend Rabvu.
He accused the alleged bed hopping Mbuisa of being a bad influence on his girlfriend Nkomo.
The former Zimbabwe Saints, Monomotapa and FC Platinum player said he once bedded Mbuisa, 22, whom he claimed also had sex with three quarters of Bosso players.
Maphosa said he assaulted Mbuisa because she was influencing his girlfriend into prostitution.
The footballer initially pleaded guilty, but his plea was altered to not guilty after he denied assaulting them using bricks.
“I admit I assaulted them but I didn’t use bricks or stones. I headbutted them on their faces and used fists, not stones.
“I’ve been warning Mbuisa to leave my girlfriend alone but she doesn’t listen. She’s bad influence on my girlfriend because she has slept with about three-quarters of my teammates, including myself. I know what she’s capable of,” he said.
Highlanders is battling reports of rampant indiscipline among players, with claims suggesting that some players indulge in drug abuse and binge drinking.
In court, prosecutor Keneth Shava said Maphosa assaulted Rabvu and Mbuisa using bricks, fists and then headbutted them.
“Maphosa assaulted Rabvu and Mbuisa by hitting them with bricks after they brought his girlfriend, Nobuhle Nkomo, home late,” he said.
The court heard that during the night of October 4, Maphosa was waiting for Nkomo at her place of residence in Mpopoma suburb when she arrived home in a vehicle at around 11PM in the company of Mbuisa and her boyfriend, Rabvu.
The three were coming from the city centre.
Maphosa flew into a rage and asked Mbuisa what she was doing with his girlfriend so late in the night.
The Bosso star then accused Mbuisa of being a prostitute and a bad influence on his girlfriend before totally losing it.
He is alleged to have assaulted Mbuisa and her boyfriend with bricks and head-butted them. Rabvu ran away leaving Mbuisa at Maphosa’s mercy.
The two sustained serious facial injuries and were referred to hospital.
Testifying, Mbuisa said Maphosa always assaults his girlfriend and had turned her into a “punching bag”.
“Maphosa always assaults Nkomo and she even wants to file a protection order against him. She’s scared to report the matter to the police but he beats her almost every time. Maphosa also said he’s gone through worse than assault cases and is not afraid of the police,” she said.
This is not the first time that Maphosa has been caught on the wrong side of the law.
In 2011, Maphosa was arrested for attempted murder after stabbing a soldier.
The matter was later settled out of court. Last year, the player, who has earned himself the bad-boy tag, was involved in a bar brawl in Matshobana where he hit bouncers at Esibayeni with a baton stick.
He has also faced allegations of assaulting his mother.
A guilty conviction would most likely spell the end of Maphosa’s time at Highlanders, and possibly his career.
Online Reporter