Faith Mabuto Midlands Reporter
A MVUMA man who assaulted his friend and gouged out his eye in a beer brawl, has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Nyasha Zingapeta, 23, of Mushayavhudzi suburb, was last Friday convicted on his own plea of guilty to assault by provincial magistrate Musaiwona Shotgame.

He will, however, serve two years in prison after Shotgame suspended 12 months of the sentence for five years, on condition that he does not during the period commit a similar offence.

In passing sentence, Shotgame said cases of beer brawls were on the rise and deterrent sentences were called for.

“Cases of beer brawls and alcohol abuse are becoming too common and the courts cannot let the culprits go scot-free. What makes your case serious is that the complainant is your friend yet you plucked out his eye over beer. Now he has sustained a permanent disability because of you,” said Shotgame.

Prosecuting, Bernard Nyoni told the court that on August 8 this year at around 2PM, Stanley Kachembe and Zingapeta were drinking beer at Mvuma Council Bar.

“Kachembe and Zingapeta are friends. Zingapeta finished his beer first and then started drinking Kachembe’s beer and this angered Kachembe,” said Nyoni.

He said the two friends started arguing and Zingapeta picked up an empty beer bottle and hit Kachembe on the face.

“After hitting Kachembe on the face with the empty bottle, Zingapeta then broke the bottle and stabbed Kachembe in the left eye and plucked it out,” said Nyoni.

He said Zingapeta went on to stab Kachembe on the left shoulder using the broken bottle.

Kachembe was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital where he was later transferred to Richard Morris Hospital in Bulawayo for specialist treatment.

Kachembe later reported the assault to the police leading to Zingapeta’s arrest.

 

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