A POLICE officer, who is resident at Ross Camp in Bulawayo but stationed at Magwegwe Police Station, was recently arraigned before the court on allegations of escaping from lawful custody.
BY SILAS NKALA
The cop had been arrested on charges of criminal insult against a fellow policeman.
The suspect, Stephen Chada (32), pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nyaradzo Ringisai last Friday and was remanded out of custody to May 12 for continuation of trial.
The court heard on December 9 last year at around 3:30pm, the complainant in the matter Leonard Kamukayi, a policeman stationed at Bulawayo West District Headquarters, and Chada were at Ross Camp ground where there was a football tournament.
The State alleges Kamukayi, who was standing beside the substitute bench, later went close to the touchline with the intention to make a substitution, but this did not go down well with Chada who then insulted him with unprintable words querying why he had gone to the touchline.
Kamukayi is said to have reported the matter and Chada was arrested and taken to Mzilikazi Police Station by Constable Tirivacho Chatambo, who then handed him over to another police officer manning the charge office.
Chada then allegedly jumped over the charge office counter and took to his heels, but was later arrested leading to this court case.
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In his defence, however, Chada said he was surprised when he got manhandled by one Inspector Changunda while watching a soccer match between Bulawayo Central Police and Donnington Police.
He further said he was taken to Mzilikazi Police Station without being informed of the reasons for his arrest and why he was being placed in custody.
Chada also challenged the State to produce the detention order claiming the charges were emanating from the fact that he had instructed his legal practitioner to sue Inspector Changunda for the unlawful and malicious deprivation of his liberty.
