News / Regional
Teacher bites cop in bid to evade arrest
08 Apr 2015 at 06:26hrs | Views
A SCHOOL teacher from Zuzaphi Primary School in Bulilima District beat up a police officer who wanted to arrest him for public drinking, a magistrate heard yesterday.
Wisdom Dube, 31, of Nyele area struck Constable Taruvinga with handcuffs and bit him in a bid to evade arrest.
Plumtree magistrate, Livard Philemon convicted Dube of consuming liquor in an inappropriate place and assaulting or resisting a peace officer.
He sentenced him to a wholly suspended three months imprisonment. The sentence was suspended on condition that Dube performs 105 hours of community service at Ndiweni Clinic.
Philemon blasted Dube for his aggressive behaviour towards a law enforcement agent.
"People like you should be leading by example because you've been entrusted with the duty of moulding characters of children. The kind of behaviour which you displayed leaves me wondering whether you're an ideal role model.
"If you're caught on the wrong side of the law you've to yield to correction and not prove that you're untouchable by assaulting a police officer," he said.
Dube told the court that he assaulted the police officer in self defence.
He said he tried to cover his face while he was being cuffed when the police officer slapped him resulting in the law enforcement agent being injured by his own handcuffs.
Dube said the police officer continued assaulting him which forced him to bite the police officer in self-defence.
"I didn't dispute the fact that I was drinking in public but the police officer was assaulting me and I reacted in self-defence. I wouldn't assault a police officer for no apparent reason," he said.
Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said on April 1, Constable Taruvinga was on duty when he came across Dube who was drinking liquor at Mopani Bus stop along Thekwane Road.
He said the complainant confronted Dube over his actions and pointed out that what he was doing was against the law.
Mazorodze said the police officer tried to handcuff Dube who refused and threatened to beat up the complainant if he arrested him.
He said Constable Taruvinga insisted and Dube struck him on the right hand using the handcuffs belonging to the complainant.
"Dube then held the complainant by the neck and bit him on the chin. The police officer then wrestled with Dube and called out for reinforcements.
"Two other police officers who were in the area came and assisted their workmate to effect the arrest," he said.
Wisdom Dube, 31, of Nyele area struck Constable Taruvinga with handcuffs and bit him in a bid to evade arrest.
Plumtree magistrate, Livard Philemon convicted Dube of consuming liquor in an inappropriate place and assaulting or resisting a peace officer.
He sentenced him to a wholly suspended three months imprisonment. The sentence was suspended on condition that Dube performs 105 hours of community service at Ndiweni Clinic.
Philemon blasted Dube for his aggressive behaviour towards a law enforcement agent.
"People like you should be leading by example because you've been entrusted with the duty of moulding characters of children. The kind of behaviour which you displayed leaves me wondering whether you're an ideal role model.
"If you're caught on the wrong side of the law you've to yield to correction and not prove that you're untouchable by assaulting a police officer," he said.
Dube told the court that he assaulted the police officer in self defence.
He said he tried to cover his face while he was being cuffed when the police officer slapped him resulting in the law enforcement agent being injured by his own handcuffs.
Dube said the police officer continued assaulting him which forced him to bite the police officer in self-defence.
"I didn't dispute the fact that I was drinking in public but the police officer was assaulting me and I reacted in self-defence. I wouldn't assault a police officer for no apparent reason," he said.
Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said on April 1, Constable Taruvinga was on duty when he came across Dube who was drinking liquor at Mopani Bus stop along Thekwane Road.
He said the complainant confronted Dube over his actions and pointed out that what he was doing was against the law.
Mazorodze said the police officer tried to handcuff Dube who refused and threatened to beat up the complainant if he arrested him.
He said Constable Taruvinga insisted and Dube struck him on the right hand using the handcuffs belonging to the complainant.
"Dube then held the complainant by the neck and bit him on the chin. The police officer then wrestled with Dube and called out for reinforcements.
"Two other police officers who were in the area came and assisted their workmate to effect the arrest," he said.
Source - chronicle
