THREE villagers from Fort Rixon area in Matabeleland South allegedly tied a member of the police constabulary with barbed wire before robbing him of his mobile phone and cash.
BY SILAS NKALA
The villagers allegedly committed the crime while trying to free two assault and stocktheft suspects arrested by the law enforcement agent.
This was heard by Bulawayo magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure when Khumbulani Mpofu (38), Dumisani Tshuma (40) and Maxwell Ncube (31) — all of Fort Rixon area — appeared before her charged with assaulting or resisting a police officer and robbery.
The three were not asked to plead to the charge and the magistrate remanded them in custody to June 19 for trial.
The court heard that the complainant, Charles Takemore Ndlovu, on June 4 arrived at Gwangwadza business centre with the suspects who were in handcuffs.
The three allegedly ordered Ndlovu to release the suspects saying they wanted to treat them of assault injuries and tried to bribe him with $50.
Ndlovu rejected the bribe, telling the villagers that the suspects were wanted at the police base.
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In a fit of rage, the three suspects allegedly grabbed Ndlovu, tied his hands with barbed wire and dragged him for several metres while assaulting him with clinched fists and booted feet. Ndlovu sustained bruises and a cut in the stomach and left shoulder.
In the ensuing melee, they allegedly searched his pockets and robbed him of a mobile phone and $110 cash. They then force-marched him to his homestead demanding the handcuff keys to unlock the two suspects.
Ndlovu complied, but later reported the matter to other police officers, leading to the arrest of the three.
