News / Local
Man assaults cops
17 Dec 2020 at 01:54hrs | Views
A VICTORIA Falls man who allegedly became violent at a fuel garage and assaulted two cops as he resisted arrest has appeared in court.
Constables Prosper Zingi and Nollen Mhanga of Victoria Falls Police Station had been deployed at Marange Fuel Service Station to control a fuel queue and enforce social distancing.
Tinashe Macharaga (30) allegedly jumped the queue and pushed his vehicle towards the pump resulting in the two police officers ordering him to remove his car.
Macharaga allegedly became violent. He allegedly grabbed a pair of handcuffs that the officers tried to put on his hands before kicking both officers.
The trio tussled and the cops managed to subdue and arrest Macharaga. He pleaded not guilty to assaulting a peace officer when he appeared before Victoria Falls Resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa who remanded him out of custody to today for continuation of trial.
He claimed that Constables Zingi and Mhanga assaulted him and forced him to move his car from the queue.
"I was at Marange Fuel Service station where I had left my car in the queue the previous evening. I went back in the morning for fueling and when it was my turn, I pushed my car towards the pump and that is when the police officers came and said I should remove my car from the queue," said Macharaga.
He said he was treated at the hospital as a result of the assault. Constables Zingi and Mhanga said they were deployed to maintain order at the fuel service station when Macharaga became violent towards them.
"He started shouting at me and my colleague when we told him to move his car. He accused us of being corrupt saying we wanted to create space for our friends to refuel ahead of him. We told him that he was disturbing the peace but he said he wasn't afraid of police as he had a relative who is our boss at police headquarters. I grabbed his hand to arrest him and he grabbed the handcuffs," said Constable Mhanga.
Prosecuting, Mr Listen Nare said Macharaga became unreasonably violent and disorderly after being told to move his car from the queue.
"On the 16th day of June 2020 the accused was at Marange Fuel service station when the two police approached him and told him not to disturb the fuel queue. The two police officers then formally told Macharaga that he was under arrest and tried to handcuff him.
"The accused resisted arrest by refusing to be handcuffed. He snatched the handcuffs from Constable Mhanga and assaulted Constable Zingi by kicking him on the chest. He also kicked Constable Mhanga on the ankle and hand. The two police officers eventually overpowered the accused and handcuffed him," said Mr Nare.
He said the two police officers did not seek medical attention.
Constables Prosper Zingi and Nollen Mhanga of Victoria Falls Police Station had been deployed at Marange Fuel Service Station to control a fuel queue and enforce social distancing.
Tinashe Macharaga (30) allegedly jumped the queue and pushed his vehicle towards the pump resulting in the two police officers ordering him to remove his car.
Macharaga allegedly became violent. He allegedly grabbed a pair of handcuffs that the officers tried to put on his hands before kicking both officers.
The trio tussled and the cops managed to subdue and arrest Macharaga. He pleaded not guilty to assaulting a peace officer when he appeared before Victoria Falls Resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa who remanded him out of custody to today for continuation of trial.
He claimed that Constables Zingi and Mhanga assaulted him and forced him to move his car from the queue.
"I was at Marange Fuel Service station where I had left my car in the queue the previous evening. I went back in the morning for fueling and when it was my turn, I pushed my car towards the pump and that is when the police officers came and said I should remove my car from the queue," said Macharaga.
He said he was treated at the hospital as a result of the assault. Constables Zingi and Mhanga said they were deployed to maintain order at the fuel service station when Macharaga became violent towards them.
"He started shouting at me and my colleague when we told him to move his car. He accused us of being corrupt saying we wanted to create space for our friends to refuel ahead of him. We told him that he was disturbing the peace but he said he wasn't afraid of police as he had a relative who is our boss at police headquarters. I grabbed his hand to arrest him and he grabbed the handcuffs," said Constable Mhanga.
Prosecuting, Mr Listen Nare said Macharaga became unreasonably violent and disorderly after being told to move his car from the queue.
"On the 16th day of June 2020 the accused was at Marange Fuel service station when the two police approached him and told him not to disturb the fuel queue. The two police officers then formally told Macharaga that he was under arrest and tried to handcuff him.
"The accused resisted arrest by refusing to be handcuffed. He snatched the handcuffs from Constable Mhanga and assaulted Constable Zingi by kicking him on the chest. He also kicked Constable Mhanga on the ankle and hand. The two police officers eventually overpowered the accused and handcuffed him," said Mr Nare.
He said the two police officers did not seek medical attention.
Source - the herald
