ZIMBABWE – A man who attempted to stop a fist-fight, was unlucky to lose his left eye after one of the belligerent parties stoned him using a catapult.
The victim, George Nyafesa was seriously injured and rushed to Banket District Hospital before being transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare where the injured eye was surgically removed.
Nyafesa’ s assailant Jackson Phiri recently appeared before Chinhoyi provincial magistrate Gladmore Mushore, who sentenced him to 12 months in prison.
The court, however, suspended three months for five years on condition Phiri does not commit a similar offence.
He will, therefore, serve an effective nine months in jail.
The state case, led by Review Nikisi was that on 3 March this year at Kuwadzana Primary School in Banket, Phiri met Nyafesa who was in the company of his two friends, Joshua Bhize and Francis Mushonga.
The court heard that after a while, Phiri, now with a gang in tow, returned to the spot where Nyafesa and his colleagues were.
Phiri then started dragging Mushonga whom he took to a secluded dark corner and started beating him up with the help of his gang members.
The reason for the attack was not mentioned in court.
Sensing danger, Nyafesa sprang to Mushonga’ s defence from further assault.
This angered Phiri who drew out his catapult, loaded it with a rock pebble and aimed at Nyafesa hitting him on the eye resulting in it popping out.
It was averred in court, Nyafesa suffered permanent disability as a result of the armed attack by Phiri, who was liable for assault and grievous bodily harm.
