Cop bashing earns man $300 fine

A MAN from Mangwe has been slapped with a $300 fine while his friend is on the run for beating up two police officers.

Brighton Dube (27) and Dumisani Ncube, whose age was not provided, assaulted the two cops stationed at Mayobodo Police Station.

Dube went on to steal a bicycle and cell phone belonging to the police officers.

Dube was arrested, but Ncube is on the run.

He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to assaulting or resisting a peace officer and theft by Plumtree magistrate, Mr Taurai Manwere.

The magistrate fined him $300 and sentenced him to three months imprisonment in case of default. Dube was further sentenced to four months imprisonment which was suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

Prosecuting, Mr Charles Nyatsine said Constables Masimba Chamboko and Vernon Mona went to Ncube's homestead on July 6 at around 7AM.

"On 6 July Constables Chamboko and Mona went to arrest Dumisani Ncube who was facing an assault charge. They found Dube and Ncube asleep in the bedroom hut and they knocked on the door and announced the purpose of their visit.

"Ncube answered the door and the police officers tried to handcuff him but he resisted. Dube advanced towards the two police officers armed with an axe and tried to strike them. Dube and Ncube hurled stones at the police officers forcing them to flee from the homestead," he said.

Mr Nyatsine said in the process, Constable Mona left his police bicycle at Ncube's homestead while Constable Chamboko dropped his Lenovo cell phone as he was running away.

He said Dube took the bicycle and cell phone to his homestead. Mr Nyatsine said police investigations led to Dube's arrest and recovery of the bicycle and cell phone while Ncube could not be located as he had fled.