Mushikashika driver assaults cop, stealing baton

A 29-year-old mushikashika operator from Mutare has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after assaulting a police officer during an operation targeting illegal passenger transport operators.

Brendon Tsakatsa of Chikanga 1 was convicted by the Mutare Magistrates' Court of assaulting a police officer, carrying passengers without an operator's licence and stealing a police baton.

He was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment for assault, with an additional one month each for operating without a licence and theft of the baton.

The charges arose from an incident on 29 June 2026 at Apex Service Station in Mutare involving Constable Maxwell Mkumbuzi, who was on duty at the time.

Tsakatsa's arrest followed the circulation on social media of a video showing a police officer being assaulted by a motorist at a service station.

The matter initially came before provincial magistrate Anne Ndiraya, with Tsakatsa represented by Passmore Gwizo of Mugadza and Chinzamba Legal Practitioners.

He was charged with assaulting or resisting a police officer in terms of Section 176 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] and pleaded not guilty.

The court heard that at around 10.20am on the day in question, Constable Mkumbuzi was conducting an operation against illegal mushikashika activities, dubbed "Operation No to Mushikashika", together with Constables Machazi and Mazambara.

Prosecutor Chris Munyuku told the court that Mkumbuzi approached Tsakatsa, who was driving an AD van, registration number AHH 5611, while allegedly shouting "One asara".

The officer reportedly stood in front of the vehicle and informed Tsakatsa that he was under arrest for touting.

Tsakatsa stopped the vehicle before getting out and approaching the police officer.

The court heard that he then struck Mkumbuzi several times with open hands.

During the confrontation, Mkumbuzi dropped the baton he had been carrying. Tsakatsa allegedly picked it up and used it to strike the officer twice on the head and once on his left arm.

Tsakatsa subsequently returned to his vehicle and drove away after noticing Constable Machazi approaching the scene.

Mkumbuzi sustained injuries and was subsequently medically examined. A medical affidavit confirming the injuries was produced in court as part of the State's evidence.

The prosecution argued that Mkumbuzi was acting lawfully in the execution of his duties when Tsakatsa assaulted him.

The State further submitted that Tsakatsa knew that Mkumbuzi was a police officer, or at the very least realised there was a real risk that he was a police officer performing his duties.

The sentence brings the case to a close amid continuing police operations against unlicensed public transport operators and touting in Zimbabwe's urban centres.