A prominent Councillor for Zanu-PF in Chinhoyi and nine illegal money-changers have been jailed for an effective 36 months imprisonment for beating up a police officer and a Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officer, who were on duty to flush out illegal currency dealers in Chinhoyi.

The ten accused persons today (26 February) appeared before magistrate Tendai Banda, who said his judgement was motivated by the need to send a strong signal to would-be-offenders, that assaulting law enforcerers was intolerable.

Chinhoyi Ward 11 councillor, Voster Mashevedzanwa and his accomplices, Desire Mwakurudza (28), Felix Makausi Gonese (28), Njabulo Ndhlovu (25), Peter Kampeni (28), Greythan Nyamukokora (25), Simba Tapfumaneyi (30), Kudzanai Samuel (30), Melusi Ndhlovu (28) and Blessing Nyango (26) will spend the next three years in jail after undergoing a long-protracted trial.

Accused persons were facing two counts.

In count one of assaulting a peace officer, the magistrate slapped the accused to 24 months imprisonment of which six months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

On the second count, the magistrate also adjudged the same, leaving the total effective 18 months to serve.

The State’s case led by prosecutor Partson Chirambwi was that on 16 May 2019, complainants Joseph Kamuremwa, a duly attested member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and his colleague Danny Badalani, a soldier, were on a sanctioned operation to arrest illegal forex dealers.

The pair identified themselves by producing their work identification cards to the accused who then bundled Kamuremwa, a peace officer, into a car before speeding off to 24-hour area within the CBD.

Badalani, after sending danger, followed his colleague and upon arrival found Kamuremwa being punched with fists and kicked with booted feet by a mob while lying on the ground.

– Zimbabwe Voice