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Zakaria faces lawsuit over assault

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KWEKWE — Sungura music pacesetter Nicholas Zakaria faces a $5 000 lawsuit for assaulting a police officer during one of his shows at Mbizo Inn Night Club early this month.

KWEKWE — Sungura music pacesetter Nicholas Zakaria faces a $5 000 lawsuit for assaulting a police officer during one of his shows at Mbizo Inn Night Club early this month.

REPORT BY BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER

Affectionately known by his fans as the “Senior Lecturer”, Zakaria is being sued for clapping Detective Inspector Lawrence Machingura in the face on November 5 after the latter, who was not in police uniform, intervened to restore order following a brawl.

According to police, the musician was irked by people who were smoking near the stage and started chasing them away, causing some commotion.

Machingura tried to quell the commotion, but Zakaria was incensed and he got off the stage and assaulted the police officer.

“Zakaria, for no apparent reason, unlawfully assaulted Machingura by grabbing him by the collar and slapping him once hard on the right cheek, resulting in him sustaining a swollen cheek,” reads part of the summons.

Kwekwe lawyer James Magodora, representing Machingura, said his client, also a police spokesperson, was humiliated by the act hence the $5 000 lawsuit against Zakaria.

“As a result of the unlawful conduct, the plaintiff sustained some injury, pain and suffering. He is an Assistant Inspector with the CID and its spokesperson, and is well known by the public.

“He lost face and was humiliated and degraded by being assaulted in public,” Magodora said.

Machingura claims $3 000 is to atone for the pain and suffering caused by the assault and $2 000 for the humiliation he suffered.

Zakaria arrested The show ended prematurely after Zakaria was arrested and detained at Mbizo Police Station, only to be released after paying a $20 admission of guilt fine and issued with ticket number 9764117.