By Judith Sibanda
A Victoria Falls man has been sentenced to perform 420 hours of community service after striking with a brick on the forehead a man who intervened to stop a fight during a beer brawl.
This was heard in court when Gibson Chihwehwete of Chinotimba suburb appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Linda Dzvene charged with assault.
According to court papers, Chihwehwete assaulted Smile Ncube, 30, after he tried to stop a fight that the accused had picked up with one of Ncube’s friends during a beer binge on July 23 last year.
It was the state’s case presented by Asher Chindedza that on the day at around 6 pm, and at house number 7262 in Mkhosana suburb, the complainant was drinking beer with his friends Fredrick Nkomo and Muzwandile Sibanda when Chihwehwete approached Nkomo to talk to him about an undisclosed matter.
The two allegedly started arguing which resulted in a physical scuffle forcing Ncube to intervene.
As Ncube was attempting to do so, the accused got angered and picked a brick and struck the complainant once on the forehead and ran away.
Ncube was rushed to the hospital leading to the complainant’s arrest.
In court, the accused begged for a lenient sentence after stating that he regretted what he had done as he was under the influence of alcohol.
Zvene in her judgment handed him a 15 months imprisonment term but three months was suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during the period.
The other 12 were converted to 420 hours of community service at government premises.
