Teacher assaults cop over chicken meal

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A STUDENT teacher from Masvingo struck a police officer with an empty beer bottle following a dispute over isitshwala/sadza. Kelvin Mhashai, 25, a student at Morgenster Teachers’ College, attacked the cop, Liberty Tabvaneyi, who runs a food outlet at Nemamwa Growth Point, about 25km from Masvingo town, accusing him of refusing to serve him a meal of his choice. Mhashai pleaded not guilty to assault when he appeared before Masvingo provincial magistrate Langton Ndokera on Tuesday but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.
Ndokera fined him $70 or 30 days in prison for the crime.

In passing the sentence, the magistrate said Mhashai had lowered his dignity over a petty issue.
“Society respects you as a professional who is dignified but you stooped so low by fighting for sadza. I wonder how you would teach school children when you parade such a despicable behaviour in public,” Ndokera blasted.

“That is demeaning and you should be ashamed to be in the dock for such a silly crime.”
In mitigation, Mhashai said he committed the crime under the influence of alcohol.

“I am pleading for leniency. I was not sober because on that day I had one too many,” he said.
Prosecutor Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa said on June 6 around 7.30PM, a drunken Mhashai was at Nemamwa Growth Point and proceeded to Dhewa General Dealer wanting to buy isitshwala.
He met Tabvaneyi who is stationed at Rujeko Police Station selling his meals in the shops.

Mhashai ordered isitshwala and chicken which Tabvaneyi said had been sold out.
This did not go down well with Mhashai who insisted on wanting to be served a chicken meal.

“He complained that Tabvaneyi was refusing to serve him chicken. Without due warning, he struck Tabvaneyi with an empty beer bottle he was holding once on the face and he sustained a deep cut,” said Nyamukondiwa.

He said Tabvaneyi bled profusely and was rushed to Morgenster Mission Hospital where he was treated and discharged.
A report was made to the police leading to Mhashai’s arrest.
A medical report produced in court as exhibit showed that Tabvaneyi sustained a moderate cut on the face.