News / Local
Female traffic cop kidnapped by kombi driver
07 Nov 2013 at 02:22hrs | Views
A FEMALE traffic cop was kidnapped by a kombi driver, dragged into the woods and beaten unconscious, a court heard yesterday.
Constable Dorothy Shoko (25), was at the Western Commonage Magistrates' Court in Bulawayo to face Timothy Kudyamusuma - the man she claims punched her repeatedly, kicked her and left her lying half-dead in a ditch.
Kudyamusuma (26), of Nkulumane 12, pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and assault charges before magistrate Willard Maphios.
The magistrate will make his ruling today.
Tatenda Dakwa, prosecuting, told how on 14 October at about 12.15pm, Constable Shoko - on patrol in Nketa - observed Kudyamusuma loading passengers from an undesignated area in an unregistered vehicle.
Constable Shoko, who was in the company of other police officers, jumped into the kombi, advised Kudyamusuma that he was under arrest and ordered him to drive to Tshabalala Police Station.
Dakwa told the court that Kudyamusuma drove to Musarurwa Business Centre where he dropped the people he was carrying.
But, instead of going to Tshabalala Police Station, Kudyamusuma drove to Rangemore Business Centre where he stopped the vehicle and demanded to see Const Shoko's police ID card.
The court was told that when she showed him the document, Kudyamusuma snatched it and held on to it.
When Constable Shoko tried to call for help from colleagues, the court heard, Kudyamusuma immediately grabbed her mobile phone and switched it off.
Kudyamusuma drove further to a wooded area near Rangemore Primary School where he stopped and violently fished the police officer out of the vehicle, it is alleged.
He kicked her in the forehead and punched her in the face several times until she lost consciousness, according to the state. Kudyamusuma dumped her in a ditch and sped off leaving her lying unconsciously.
Constable Shoko, who sustained a deep cut on her forehead and bruises in the hands as a result of the assault, later regained consciousness and staggered to Rangemore Primary School where she alerted the school head who called the police.
Kudyamusuma, who took the stand in his defence, told the court that he thought Constable Shoko was masquerading as a police officer.
Constable Shoko was not in police uniform, he told the court, and had no police identity card on her.
"I did not kidnap her but she just jumped into my car without even producing her ID card, saying she was a police officer and that I was under arrest ordering me to drive to Tshabalala Police Station," Kudyamusuma told the court.
"I insisted that we should first drive to Rangemore to inform my employer first about the arrest and while on the way we had an altercation during which she grabbed me by the shirt and ordered me to stop the car.
"When I stopped the car, I pulled her out and we started exchanging blows during which she threw stones at me."
He also claimed that Constable Shoko damaged the windscreen of his kombi as he was driving away.
Constable Dorothy Shoko (25), was at the Western Commonage Magistrates' Court in Bulawayo to face Timothy Kudyamusuma - the man she claims punched her repeatedly, kicked her and left her lying half-dead in a ditch.
Kudyamusuma (26), of Nkulumane 12, pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and assault charges before magistrate Willard Maphios.
The magistrate will make his ruling today.
Tatenda Dakwa, prosecuting, told how on 14 October at about 12.15pm, Constable Shoko - on patrol in Nketa - observed Kudyamusuma loading passengers from an undesignated area in an unregistered vehicle.
Constable Shoko, who was in the company of other police officers, jumped into the kombi, advised Kudyamusuma that he was under arrest and ordered him to drive to Tshabalala Police Station.
Dakwa told the court that Kudyamusuma drove to Musarurwa Business Centre where he dropped the people he was carrying.
But, instead of going to Tshabalala Police Station, Kudyamusuma drove to Rangemore Business Centre where he stopped the vehicle and demanded to see Const Shoko's police ID card.
The court was told that when she showed him the document, Kudyamusuma snatched it and held on to it.
When Constable Shoko tried to call for help from colleagues, the court heard, Kudyamusuma immediately grabbed her mobile phone and switched it off.
Kudyamusuma drove further to a wooded area near Rangemore Primary School where he stopped and violently fished the police officer out of the vehicle, it is alleged.
He kicked her in the forehead and punched her in the face several times until she lost consciousness, according to the state. Kudyamusuma dumped her in a ditch and sped off leaving her lying unconsciously.
Constable Shoko, who sustained a deep cut on her forehead and bruises in the hands as a result of the assault, later regained consciousness and staggered to Rangemore Primary School where she alerted the school head who called the police.
Kudyamusuma, who took the stand in his defence, told the court that he thought Constable Shoko was masquerading as a police officer.
Constable Shoko was not in police uniform, he told the court, and had no police identity card on her.
"I did not kidnap her but she just jumped into my car without even producing her ID card, saying she was a police officer and that I was under arrest ordering me to drive to Tshabalala Police Station," Kudyamusuma told the court.
"I insisted that we should first drive to Rangemore to inform my employer first about the arrest and while on the way we had an altercation during which she grabbed me by the shirt and ordered me to stop the car.
"When I stopped the car, I pulled her out and we started exchanging blows during which she threw stones at me."
He also claimed that Constable Shoko damaged the windscreen of his kombi as he was driving away.
Source - chronicle
