A SUSPECTED illegal gold dealer, Bothwell Mubata, is nursing injuries at Kwekwe General Hospital after he got injured trying to escape from a moving police vehicle.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Mubata (32) was arrested by four police officers on Wednesday last week for illegal possession of 1,4 grammes of amalgam gold and 0,8 grammes of toasted gold in Bamala village, Zhombe.
According to court papers, the suspect was then put in a police vehicle without handcuffs and as the vehicle started moving, Mubata allegedly jumped out of the car through the window.
“The accused took advantage of an open rear window on the right door and jumped from the motor vehicle. He ran into a nearby thorny bush area and escaped from lawful custody,” the State outline reads.
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Although Mubata is reported to have injured his left arm and bruised his legs, as he landed on the tarmac, he still managed to make good his escape into the bushy area.
Mubata was then arrested when he went to report, at Zhombe Police Station that he had been injured while running away from police officers, who had threatened to kill him.
Provincial magistrate Letwin Rwodzi remanded Mubata from his hospital bed at Kwekwe General Hospital, where he was under police guard to December 15.
Possession of gold without a licence or permit is an offence attracting a mandatory sentence of five years in prison unless special circumstances are raised and accepted by the court.
Mubata now faces two charges of illegal possession of gold and the other of escaping from lawful custody.