No joy for cop assault victim as court takes halfa year to hear case
MIDWEEK REPORTER
CHACHACHA-A bar lady at Chachacha Business Centre in Tongogara District is crying foul over her case of assault by a cop which has taken more than six months to be heard in court.
Violet Mariba reported Tafadzwa Dhobha a policeman stationed in Gweru but staying at Chachacha Business Centre for assault on January 20 this year, but the accused is yet to appear in court as one excuse after the other is given.
Mariba says the case has been dragging on since January as court dates keep changing and instead, she has been issued with a warrant of arrest for not coming to court.
“Whenever I go to court, I am told that the matter has been moved to another date or told that the court is overwhelmed with cases and I should come back on another date.
“It seems, I am getting my own date and the accused is getting his own date because recently I was told that a warrant of arrest has been issued against me because I failed to appear in court when my name was called.
“Surprisingly I was never told of that date yet they say I did not come to court as required. I suspect someone is protecting this officer or something is going on at the Shurugwi Magistrate Courts as my case has been dragging on for too long now,” said Mariba.
Mariba told The Midweek Watch that on January 19 at around 10pm as she about to close Farai Bar at Chachacha Business Centre, Dhobha remained inside and said he wanted to continue drinking.
They had an argument until Dhobha allegedly grabbed Mariba by her hand to stop her from closing the bar.
She said her wrist was injured and he tore his dress in the process until a night watchman known to the two intervened and that is when Dhobha released her.
She went on to report the matter to the Police as attempted rape, but the Police advised her to discuss the matter with Dhobha since they know each other.
Mariba said nothing was recorded by the Police until she threatened to take the matter to Gweru, that is when one, Musarurwa recorded her case as assault.
On January 23 she went to see a Doctor at Makarima Hospital in Shurugwi Town who said that the injuries were serious.
She said when they first appeared at Shurugwi Magistrate Court on February 23, the court demanded for a witness, but the security guard who helped her refused to testify.
Mariba says, the Prosecutor whose name she can’t remember, on the day advised her to discuss the matter with the accused, but she refused.
“I refused to discuss anything with Dhobha because he had told me that, I can go anywhere and nothing will happen to him, so I want to see justice being done,” said Mariba.
Ever since then she has been going to court and given different reasons as to why the case is not being tried.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Angeline Munyeriwa promised to come back at 10am today, but she had not done so by the time of posting the story.
