Touts Kidnap, Assault Cop, Leave Him For Dead
Patience Nhamburo and Nelson Gwese
Four touts from Harare allegedly kidnapped a police officer, assaulted and left him for dead. The four, Jonathan Tambama, George Nhodza, Taddy Kufazvinei and Anyway Chapasuka appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court this morning facing kidnapping and attempted murder charges.
Allegations against the four are that on the 16TH of June, they were touting for passengers in Harare’s Central Business District when Sergeant Piyasi who was in the company of four other police officers attempted to arrest the touts.
The four accused then grabbed the police officer, shoved him into an unregistered Toyota Wish vehicle and drove off. Liberty Nhodza was allegedly driving the vehicle and is still at large.
The court heard that the four touts then assaulted the police officer with an iron bar, clenched fists and booted feet attempting to kill him, until he fell unconscious, while holding his hands and shoving his head and forcing him beneath the seats of the vehicle.
They allegedly dumped him somewhere between Epworth and Sunway City on the outskirts of Harare. The police officer was rescued by a passerby, who took him to Central Police Station.
The officer was taken to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where he was admitted pending treatment. He sustained a swollen face, swollen limbs and a suspected fractured arm.
Harare Magistrate Dennis Mangosi remanded the four in custody to the first of July.