A ZIMBABWE National Army member and two Lupane villagers have been acquitted on charges of assaulting a police officer following a dispute over a snooker game.
The soldier Decent Dube (31), stationed at army Artillery Regiment in Cranborne, Harare, villagers Future Ncube (21) and Nqobile Ngwabi, all from Jotsholo, denied the charges when they appeared before Lupane resident magistrate Barbra Phiri.
On Friday, the magistrate found them not guilty.
The three had been out of custody on ZiG300 bail each.
The court was told that the police officer, Boutros Boutros Madzivanzira, who is based at Jotsholo Staff Quarters, was attacked by the trio on September 15.
It was the State’s case that Madzaivanzira was playing snooker at a bar in Jotsholo one Mawere when a misunderstanding arose over some tokens.
Ngwabi allegedly grabbed Madzivanzira by the throat, while Ncube hit him with a cue stick on the left side of the shoulder.
The fight continued outside the shop, where the trio allegedly assaulted Madzivanzira.
- Soldier, villagers in trouble for assaulting cop
- Soldier, villagers acquitted of cop bashing charges
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He was taken to St Luke’s Hospital for medical treatment and a report made to the police led to the arrest of the three.
