Cop bashed in fight 'over woman'

A police officer based at Lupane police station was recently pummelled with fists, allegedly over a woman.

It is said Constable Sihlalo Ncube (25) was having drinks with Elvis Ngwenya (21) and five other men at Mthupha Bottle Store last Monday.

All was well but things took a nasty turn when Ngwenya called a lady and proposed love. It is said Ncube intervened and claimed that the lady in question "belongs to him and was intending to marry her", as such she must ignore Ngwenya because he was a loafer and poor.

But it seems that allegedly incensed Ngwenya as it forced him to lash out at Ncube. Following that an argument ensued.

It is said at the height of the argument Ncube allegedly hit his love rival with fists. Ngwenya retaliated and allegedly hit Ncube with fists and with an unknown object. Ncube sustained a deep cut in the face and bled excessively.

He was rushed to hospital where he was treated and discharged. A police report was made, leading to Ngwenya's arrest.

Ngwenya appeared before Lupane resident magistrate Ndumo Masuku facing an assault charge. Ngwenya pleaded guilty but said he was acting in self defence.

"Your worship, I was acting in self defence as he was hitting me with fists and head butted me telling me to leave his lady. What angered me the most is that he told me that I'm poor and a loafer," said Ngwenya.

Ncube said: "He wanted to snatch my lady that I'm planning to marry and when I told him to leave my lady he started to insult me and hit me with fists and with an object on the face, as a result I suffered a deep cut."

Lupane resident magistrate Ndumo Masuku remanded Ngwenya out of custody to 3 April 2018.