A Zambia man who last month beat up a police officer and removed her front tooth has appeared in the Magistrates’ Court.
The court has placed the 21-year-old security guard identified as Ernest Simwanza of Twapia on his defence for one count of assault on a police officer.
Simwanza assaulted female officer Mercy Sianga 35 of Chifubu Police Camp after an argument at Twapia police station on June 3, 2021 around 11:00 hours.
When the matter came up for trial before Ndola resident magistrate Misozi Banda, Bupe Nalwamba 30, a businesswoman of Twapia said the incident happened when Simwanza went to the police station to sign police bond for his sister who was in police custody for theft.
“When he came at the police, he started asking his sister what wrong she did but the officer stopped him and asked him to leave the office if he didn’t know what he followed,” she testified.
Nalwamba said the response by the police incensed Simwanza who refused to leave the office.
She said the officer then hounded him out of her office, a situation which escalated into a quarrel.
Nalwamba said Simwanza then got annoyed and pushed the officer on the floor.
She said when the officer fell down, her tooth came out of her mouth.
And detective chief inspector at Copperbelt division headquarters Lastone Moyo who was supposed to sign police bond said on the material day, he found the officer crying that Simwanza had removed her tooth.
“So I issued a medical for the officer to go to the hospital and Simwanza was put in police custody after he failed to give a satisfactory answer for his actions,” Moyo said.
In his defence, Simwanza who gave unsworn evidence said he got annoyed because the officer requested him to pay a K50 for signing a police bond.
“The officer asked me to pay K50 which I didn’t understand and when I inquired why I was made to pay that amount for signing police bond, she became upset and chased me out of her office,” he said.
Magistrate Banda adjourned the matter to July 26 for continued defence.
Credit: Daily Star Zambia
