Shona songs, man to pay for battering imbiber

A VICTORIA FALLS man accused of knocking out the teeth of a beer drinking mate in a row over the playing of Shona songs at a local watering hole was last Thursday ordered to compensate the victim $510.

Talent Nyathi (27) was convicted on his plea of guilty when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani for assaulting Sisco Mwale (39) with a stone.

Rosemani handed Nyathi a wholly suspended three-month sentence on condition that he compensates Mwale $510 for medical expenses and artificial teeth.

The court heard that on August 10 at around 9pm, Nyathi of Canaan village and Mwale were drinking beer at Chisuma bottle store.

As Mwale left the drinking spot going home, Nyathi slapped him once on the face for no apparent reason before picking a stone and hitting him once on the jaws.

Mwale fell unconscious and was ferried to hospital where it was discovered that he had lost three upper left side teeth.

In his defence, Nyathi said he had been angered by Mwale's accusations that he was a tribalist at the bar to solicit for prostitutes after asking the disc jockey to stop playing Shona songs.