Warrant of arrest for cop-bashing bus foreman

An Inter Africa buses foreman, who is facing allegations of assaulting a police officer with an iron bar at Mbare Musika for trying to arrest a tout on assault charges, is on the run.

Shingirai Gwenzi (35) of 194 Northway Hatfield, Harare, was issued with a warrant of arrest last Friday after he failed to attend court for trial before Mbare magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande.

Gwenzi was called three times, but could not avail himself, leading to prosecutor Ms Revai Mudozori asking the court to issue him with a warrant of arrest.

Gwenzi's lawyer Mr Charles Chikore of C Mutsahuni Chikore and Partners, was left dumbfounded after his client sold him a dummy.

This led magistrate Makwande to grill Mr Chikore for failing to bring his client to court.

"Is it not that your client has slipped from justice?" asked Ms Makwande.

Mr Chikore was left with no option, but to tell the court that he was not aware that his client had absconded.

Allegations against Gwenzi arose on June 24 this year at around 2pm when Constable Edwin Bope (30) who is stationed at ZRP Braeside was going to work when he was intercepted by a certain woman who reported that she had been assaulted by a tout identified as Hwezva at the Mbare rank.

Cst Bope proceeded to the rank where he was also assaulted by Hwezva.

The following day, Cst Bope went to Mbare Musika Police Post intending to report an assault charge against Hwezva.

Before that he proceeded to the section for Chiredzi-bound buses where he started talking to one of Inter Africa bus conductors.

The court heard that Gwenzi approached them and hurled insults at Cst Bope, accusing him of disturbing his conductor. Trouble started when Cst Bope tried to handcuff Gwenzi, who turned violent and punched him. As if that was not enough, Gwenzi allegedly took an iron bar and struck the police officer before head-butting him.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to Gwenzi's arrest.