Man assaults police officer and wife over sex

A 45 year-old Bulawayo man beat up his wife and threatened to cut off her head after she denied him sex.

Xolani Sibanda allegedly turned on Constable Mhere who had come to arrest him and beat him up as well.

After residents ganged up to effect a citizen's arrest, he allegedly escaped from West Commonage Police Station.

Sibanda allegedly waited until Const Mhere had started writing the charge sheet, then ran towards a window at the charge office.

He broke the window with his fists, jumped out of the office and ran towards freedom.

Two police officers spotted him and gave chase.

Witnesses said he had outdistanced the cops when he fell into a storm-drain at the intersection of Khami Road and Nketa Drive.

He was then dragged back to the station.

Appearing before Western Commonage magistrate Maphios Moyo, Sibanda pleaded guilty to charges of physical abuse, assaulting a police officer and unlawful escape from police custody.

He told the court that he escaped because the police had assaulted him.
Sibanda claimed he was HIV positive and asthmatic and pleaded to be sentenced to do community service so that he could take care of his children.

Moyo slapped Sibanda with a three months prison sentence which was wholly suspended on condition he performs 210 hours of community service at Ntabazinduna Police Station.