Tsholotsho man stabs police officer

A 33-year-old Tsholotsho man has been sentenced to an effective five years in prison for stabbing a police officer in the abdomen while attempting to evade arrest and later violently resisting arrest at his home.

Mayibongwe Ncube of Mqolweni Line, Sipepa, was convicted of attempted murder and resisting arrest by Bulawayo regional magistrate Ms Sibonginkosi Mkandla.

He was sentenced to six years for attempted murder, with one year suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during that period.

In passing sentence, Magistrate Mkandla described Ncube as a violent offender who showed a disregard for the law and law enforcement officers.

"You resisted arrest while police officers were conducting their investigations and stabbed one of the police officers who had come to apprehend you. You are a dangerous criminal who disregards the law, let alone law enforcement agents. You will be jailed to deter like-minded people," she said.

Prosecutor Ms Tsungai Charmaine Mutapi told the court that the investigating officer narrowly escaped death after being stabbed in the abdomen.

"The police officer sustained a serious wound after he was stabbed by the offender. His unbecoming behaviour will influence other community members to disrespect police officers. He also assaulted a police officer while resisting arrest. The State prays for a custodial sentence to send a clear message to would-be offenders," she said.

The complainant was identified as Constable Edgar Charuma (35) of Sipepa Police Station.

The court heard that on May 23, Constable Charuma and another officer, Constable Mhuri, went to Kapane Business Centre where they found Ncube armed with a knobkerrie and an axe.

The officers attempted to arrest him, but he allegedly became violent and fled from the scene.

According to the State, the officers later encountered Ncube and three other men who blocked their vehicle as they were returning to the police station.

"Ncube assaulted Constable Charuma before stabbing him once in the abdomen with an Okapi knife," Ms Mutapi told the court.

Police later tracked Ncube to his homestead at Mqolweni Line, where officers arrived at around 2AM the following day to arrest him.

The court heard that officers knocked on his bedroom hut door and identified themselves as police officers, but Ncube refused to open the door.

Police then forced entry into the hut, resulting in a struggle during which Ncube allegedly resisted arrest and attempted to overpower the officers before he was eventually subdued and arrested.

The court ruled that the severity of the attack and Ncube's conduct towards law enforcement officers warranted a custodial sentence as a deterrent to similar offences.