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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
A taxi driver yesterday appeared in court for allegedly refusing to be arrested and conniving with some vendors to assault a police officer who was on duty.
Wellington Tawanda Mafuta (39) appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with two counts of assault and obstruction of justice.
He was denied bail and the case was remanded to March 9.
Prosecutor Mr Pardon Dziva alleged that on Monday at around 1 am, Sergeant Manjeya and Constable Mapuranga received an indecent assault report from officer Lavinia Hickey.
Two police officers attended the scene at Sports Dinner and arrested the culprit.
When the officers wanted to take him to the police station, Mafuta started mobilising some vendors who demanded the release of the culprit who had been arrested for indecent assault.
Mafuta, in the company of some vendors who are still at large, started attacking the two police officers with bare hands and stones all over their whole bodies.
The arrested person took advantage of the chaos and fled from the scene whilst in handcuffs. He is still at large.
Sensing danger, Constable Mapuranga fled from the scene leaving his colleague Sergeant Manjeya who was armed with a firearm.
The court heard that Mafuta threw a stone at Sergeant Manjeya and later got hold of his rifle.
He wrestled with him trying to disarm him but failed. The mob only dispersed after Sergeant Manjeya fired a warning shot in the air. Constable Mapuranga called for reinforcement leading to Mafuta’s arrest.
Online Reporter