News / Regional
Villagers stone cops in gold row
20 Nov 2012 at 07:51hrs | Views
TWO policemen stationed at Gweru Rural Police Station have been admitted to Gweru Provincial Hospital after they were allegedly stoned by villagers led by a village head, a magistrate has heard.
Gweru magistrate Mrs Florence Nago was told this during the appearance of the village head, Methuseli Mkombo (62) and his accomplice, Daniel Thulani Ngwenya (26) both from Mkombo in Lower Gweru.
They are now facing a public violence charge. The two accused are also facing a charge of malicious damage to property after they and other suspects who are still at large went on to burn a police tent, which was pitched at a mine, destroying uniforms belonging to Constables Kutekwa Chinangananga and Kuenda Mbire.
Mkombo and Ngwenya, a member of the Zimbabwe National Army, stationed at Zimbabwe Military Academy in Gweru denied the charges and were remanded in custody to 30 November.
For the State, Mr Stancelous Nyemba told the court that on Friday, Mkombo and Ngwenya mobilised villagers at Mkombo with the intention of inciting violence and visited Sun Boy Gold Mine.
The mine, which is privately owned, is being manned by police officers, but the villagers want to mine in the area, the court was told.
Mr Nyemba said when the two accused and their accomplices arrived at the mine, they found the two policemen. He said the two and their accomplices surrounded the mine and attacked the policemen with stones resulting in the two sustaining serious head and body injuries.
On realising that the policemen were now helpless after the attack, the two and their accomplices went on to set the police tent on fire, destroying all the property including police uniforms.
Constables Chinangananga and Mbire were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital by fellow police officers who attended to the scene.
Mkombo and Ngwenya were arrested later.
Gweru magistrate Mrs Florence Nago was told this during the appearance of the village head, Methuseli Mkombo (62) and his accomplice, Daniel Thulani Ngwenya (26) both from Mkombo in Lower Gweru.
They are now facing a public violence charge. The two accused are also facing a charge of malicious damage to property after they and other suspects who are still at large went on to burn a police tent, which was pitched at a mine, destroying uniforms belonging to Constables Kutekwa Chinangananga and Kuenda Mbire.
Mkombo and Ngwenya, a member of the Zimbabwe National Army, stationed at Zimbabwe Military Academy in Gweru denied the charges and were remanded in custody to 30 November.
For the State, Mr Stancelous Nyemba told the court that on Friday, Mkombo and Ngwenya mobilised villagers at Mkombo with the intention of inciting violence and visited Sun Boy Gold Mine.
Mr Nyemba said when the two accused and their accomplices arrived at the mine, they found the two policemen. He said the two and their accomplices surrounded the mine and attacked the policemen with stones resulting in the two sustaining serious head and body injuries.
On realising that the policemen were now helpless after the attack, the two and their accomplices went on to set the police tent on fire, destroying all the property including police uniforms.
Constables Chinangananga and Mbire were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital by fellow police officers who attended to the scene.
Mkombo and Ngwenya were arrested later.
Source - TC
