Herdsmen jailed for assaulting police officers

TWO youthful herdsmen from Bulilima District will each spend the next twelve months in prison for beating up four cops in a bid to free their friend who had been arrested on Christmas Day.

Reason Tshuma, 19, and Mandlenkosi Ndlovu, 20, who work in Figtree area also damaged a car belonging to one of the officers.

Constables Tavonga Datai, Gaudencia Vhare, Takawira Gwauya and Rodwill Tizayi were on duty at Redwood Ultra City when they arrested Reliance Zulu, a wanted person.

Tshuma and Ndlovu ambushed the four cops as they proceeded to their vehicles.

The two men started throwing stones at the police officers and in the process broke a windscreen. They demanded an immediate release of their companion.

The police officers abandoned their vehicles and fled from the scene together with Zulu who was handcuffed in a bid to avoid being injured.

Tshuma and Ndlovu appeared before Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa facing assault and malicious damage to property charges.

Ruvetsa sentenced the two men to 18 months imprisonment each. Six months were suspended on condition that they do not within the next five years commit an offence of the same nature.

Prosecuting, Clemence Shawarira said Tshuma and Ndlovu assaulted the cops on December 25.

He said the police officers later conducted a search for the two who were arrested on the following day.

"The police officers arrested Reliance Zulu while he was in the company of Tshuma and Ndlovu and they proceeded with him to one of the cars parked outside Redwood premises," said Shawarira.

He said Tshuma and Ndlovu teamed up and ambushed the cops with the common purpose to secure freedom for their friend.

Shawarira said they threw stones at the police officers and damaged a windscreen. He said the damaged windscreen was valued at $300.

The court heard that one of the officers sustained head and shoulder injuries as a result of the attack and was referred to Ross Camp Hospital for treatment.

In mitigation, Tshuma and Ndlovu said the police officers merely apprehended their counterpart without stating the offence.

"The officers just arrested Reliance and they didn't even state why.

"They violently ganged up on him and handcuffed him.

"They should have followed the correct procedure of arresting a person if they expected us to comply," said Tshuma.

He said they were merely protecting their counterpart as they realised that he was being harassed for no apparent reason.