A BULAWAYO pirate taxi driver allegedly jumped out of a moving vehicle to fix a police officer who had boarded it after arresting him.
The vehicle careened into a storm drain while the cop and a passenger screamed for help.
The driver, Japhet Nyathi (23), allegedly tried to jump over a precast wall as he escaped from the scene but it crumbled.
Nyathi pleaded guilty to a charge of malicious damage to property. Western commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu remanded Nyathi out of custody to Wednesday.
Nyathi apologised to the court, saying that he had already started paying for the wall.
“I’m sorry your worship I really don’t know what had gotten into me. I’m in the process of paying the owner of the house,” said Nyathi.
Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava told the court that on July 17 Nyathi passed a roadblock at Pumula more than eight times. He said one of the officers on duty suspected that he was pirating and decided to board his vehicle.
“Once inside the officer asked accused person to park his car by the roadside.
“Accused person accelerated. He suddenly jumped out of the car. He jumped over a precast wall causing it to fall. Total value of the demolished wall is $300,” said Mr Shava.
According to a statement made by the cop, Nyathi said he wanted to fix police officers for harassing pirating drivers.
“He said police officers would learn a lesson for harassing them. He refused to stop and increased speed. He even refused to drop one of his passengers in Pumula,” read the statement.
The police officer said Nyathi jumped out of his moving vehicle which then plunged into a trench.-state media