'Party spoiler' gets Xmas day beating

A CHRISTMAS party turned tragic for a Bulawayo man who suffered a broken arm after being assaulted for switching off the radio when others still wanted to be merry.

Professor Dube of Springs Farm was left nursing a broken arm after he was assaulted by Fortune Ncube, 40, of the same farm on December 24 last year for "switching off the radio".

For the offence, Ncube appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya facing an assault charge.

Ncube was not asked to plead and he was remanded in custody to January 11.

For the state, Nkathazo Dlodlo told the court that on Christmas Eve, the two who are not related were at a Christmas party at Jophum Mine in Kensington with other guests playing music and drinking beer.

"At around 4:30PM the owner of the radio which was being played came and took his radio home and the party went silent as there was no more music. Ncube asked Dube why there was no more music and the latter told him the owner of the system had taken his radio home," said Dlodlo.

Dlodlo said a misunderstanding ensued as Ncube accused Dube of switching off the radio.

"Ncube grabbed Dube by his right hand, twisted his arm and used his right knee to break it".

Dube sustained a broken arm and a report was made to the police leading to Ncube's arrest.