Police take 5 years to act on chief who pointed gun at businessman

Gutu Police has taken five years to bring Chief Serima who is accused of assaulting and pointing a gun at a prominent businessman Naison Bvungo in 2016 to court.

Police only subpoenaed Chief Serima born Vengai Rushwaya to court a few weeks back after Bvungo’s lawyer Collen Maboke of Ruvengo and Maboke threatened legal action and to make a report to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission against the law enforcement agent.

The Mirror has in its hands the subpoena where Chief Serima will now appear at Masvingo Provincial Court on January 19, 2022.

Serima will be facing two charges; one for assault and the other one of contravening Section 27b of the Firearms Act of pointing a firearm on another person.

According to a letter written by Collen Maboke to Chief Superintended Mubaiwa who is the Dispol for Masvingo East, Chief Serima assaulted and pointed a gun at Bvungo on August 12 2016 after an argument over a chicken cage. The attack was so severe that Bvungo dislocated his small finger.

Bvungo reported the case at Gutu Police Station on the same day and made further follow-ups with Assistant Inspector Moyo who is the IC crime and she told the complainant that the case was referred to Mubaiwa’s office for opinion. Bvungo also went to the Prosecutor at Gutu Magistrate Court and was told that there was never such a docket brought by the Police.

Frustrated by the lack of action, Bvungo engaged the services of Maboke.

Armed with the instruction, Maboke wrote a letter to Mubaiwa expressing dissatisfaction in the manner in which his subordinates handled the case. He said Police did not make any communication on why the case was taking long.

He also complained that Police was deliberately trying to avoid the charge of using a firearm against Chief Serima. The charge that Police was preferring against the traditional leader was the less serious one of assault.

The lawyer went on to say that he was aware the chief once reported a case of assault in which he was the complainant and Police dealt with it swiftly. Masvingo Mirrior