White farmer acquitted in alleged assault of headman

A white commercial farmer, Arthur Bosman, has been acquitted of aggravated assault by Chinhoyi magistrate Nyasha Marufu.

Bosman, who uses a walking stick for mobility, had appeared in court following allegations by Makonde headman Professor Rangwani that he assaulted him twice on the head with the walking stick while accusing him of trespassing on his farm.

In delivering her ruling, Magistrate Marufu cited inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony, particularly concerning the number of times he was allegedly struck. The court also noted that the medical report submitted as evidence had been compiled before the date on which the complainant claimed the assault took place.

The magistrate found that the discrepancies in the State's case created reasonable doubt, leading to Bosman's acquittal.

Bosman was represented by lawyer Kudzai Choga, while Brighton Machekera prosecuted on behalf of the State.