3-year jail sentences for Kwekwe cops who bashed lawyer

Hell hath no fury like two police officers who decided to use their physical strength instead of their brains, after they were slapped with a three-month jail sentence each, for assaulting a lawyer who was enquiring about the state of his client.

The duo of 32-year-old Brighton Bvaure and Jasper Nechitima (33) who are based at Kwekwe Central Police Station reportedly assaulted Leon Sheunesu Mapfumo of Marufu Misi Law Chambers after the legal practitioner had made attempts at checking on a complainant he was representing at the magistrates’ court in the Midlands mining town.

The state accuses Bvaure and Nechitima of handcuffing and assaulting Mapfumo who they later detained at Kwekwe Central Police Station on trumped up charges of misconduct and obstructing the course of justice.

Appearing before Gokwe magistrate Hillary Ndlovu charged with assault, the pair was slapped with three months imprisonment with an option of parting ways with $2 000 fine.

According to Tinashe Wazvaremhaka who prosecuted, on April 25 at around 2pm, Mapfumo approached the accused persons at Kwekwe Magistrates courts and enquired about the charge faced by his client who had been arrested by the two officers.

Subsequently, the accused duo referred the eventually victimised lawyer to Kwekwe Central Police Station where Mapfumo’s client was being detained.

The court also heard that the conversation between the lawyer and the two cops degenerated into squabbling after the legal practitioner had genuinely expressed concern over the treatment of his client.

However, instead of amicably settling their differences, Bvaure is said to have grabbed the complainant by the belt and tripped him to the ground before he locked his arms around his neck, in a fit of rage.

On his part, Nechitima is said have forcefully handcuffed the complainant’s left arm before handcuffing the other hand leading to the unlawful detention of the lawyer.

Wary of their colleague’s detention, Kwekwe lawyers quizzed why Sheunesu had been arrested and this resulted in his release the following morning.

state media
Additional Reporting: Zwnews