adminSenior Court Reporter
A WELL-KNOWN bouncer in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a police officer with a broken bottle in a bar and impersonating a professional hunter at Matetsi Safari where he allegedly illegally shot and killed two male bucks.Daniel Chidenyu, 39, also known as Danida in his circles in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, is also being charged with making off without payment after he hired a female taxi driver on February 21, this year and failed to pay her a fare of $3.
He allegedly went on to threaten her with violence when she asked for her money a few days later.
Victoria Falls magistrate Sharon Rosemani yesterday fined Chidenyu, of Chinotimba Township, $30 or three weeks imprisonment on the charge of making off without payment.
Chidenyu, whose other residence is in Bulawayo where he owns a house, failed to pay taxi driver Polina Mlalazi, also his neighbour, who he had hired from Shoe Strings bar to his place of residence.
The threats of violence emanate from the fact that he allegedly banged Mlalazi’s car with fists when she asked him about her money, threatening to “deal with her”.
In his defence, Chidenyu told the court he did not refuse to pay her but had advised her that he would give the money to his girlfriend who would then pay her.
On the charge of assault, Chidenyu allegedly injured a cop, Sibayani Chinyoka while at Ko Mpofu Nite Club in Chinotimba by breaking an empty bottle of beer which he used to stab him on the neck on March 5.
He denied the charge saying they were actually celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday and the bottle accidentally fell down.
Chidenyu, whose right eye was bandaged when he appeared in court, said he does not know how the bottle got Chinyoka injured.
The cop was admitted to Victoria Falls Hospital where he was treated and discharged and Chidenyu claims he paid for his medical bills.
On the fraud charge, Chidenyu who bragged about being a father of five children with different women, allegedly went to Matetsi Safari area on September 8, last year intending to register a hunt and masqueraded as Joseph Chitambwe, a professional hunter, the court heard.
It is said that Chidenyu was carrying a hunter’s licence belonging to Chitambwe and presented it to Evans Mazara, a Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe ranger.
The court was told that Mazara processed a hunting permit for him and Chidenyu and they started hunting on September 9 and were supposed to stop on September 14, last year.
Prosecutors say Chidenyu, besides impersonating Chitambwe, extended his hunting period by three days and killed two male bush bucks. A report was made to the police leading to Chidenyu’s arrest.
He told the court that it was not true that he impersonated Chitambwe because he told rangers that he went there on behalf of Chitambwe and provided them with all his details.
The magistrate remanded him to April 14 for a possible start of trial on the charge of fraud on $100 bail. Chidenyu will also appear on the same date for the charges of assault and threats of violence.
Listen Nare is representing the State.
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