A white commercial farmer, Arthur Bosman, has been acquitted of aggravated assault by Chinhoyi magistrate Nyasha Marufu.
Bosman, who uses a walking stick for mobility, had been arraigned before the court following allegations by Makonde headman Professor Rangwani that he assaulted him twice on the head with the walking stick, accusing him of trespassing on his farm.
In her ruling, Marufu cited inconsistencies in the complainant’s testimony, particularly regarding the number of times he was allegedly struck. The court also noted that the medical report presented as evidence had been compiled prior to the date on which the complainant claimed the assault occurred.
Bosman was represented by lawyer Kudzai Choga, while Brighton Machekera appeared for the State.
