Zimbabwe

Zanu PF councillor jailed over cop assault

People get locked for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression

BY NUNURAI JENA

ZANU PF Chinhoyi ward 11 councillor, Voster Mashevedzanwa (41) has been sentenced to four years in jail by Chinhoyi magistrate Tapiwa Banda for assault and resisting arrest.

Mashevedzanwa together with eight accomplices, Desire Mwarukira, Felix Gonesi, Njabulo Ndlovu, Greythan Nyarukokora, Simbarashe Tapfumanei, Kudzanai Samuel, Melusi Ndlovu and Blessing Nyango were facing two counts of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

They were all found guilty on the two counts.

The magistrate suspended six months of the sentence from each count, leaving the convicts to serve an effective three-year jail term each.

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It was the State’s case that on May 19, 2019 Mashevedzanwa and accomplices assaulted Danny Badalani stationed at Chinhoyi Army Intelligence and Joseph Kamuremwa stationed at ZRP Chemagamba during an operation to arrest illegal money dealers at 24-hour Complex.

The court heard that Mashevedzanwa and his accomplices assaulted Kamuremwa while he was lying on the ground.

Kamuremwa sustained injuries and was referred to hospital for treatment.

They were also accused of resisting arrest by police officers on the same day.

Tungamirai Chamutsa of Chamutsa and Associates, who was representing some of the convicts said he had been instructed to appeal against the sentence.

NEWSDAY