Beitbridge Cop Smashes Beer Bottle on Shopkeeper Over Change Dispute

A 32-year-old police officer from Beitbridge, Ziggie Khonzani, has been sentenced to nine months in prison after assaulting a shopkeeper with an empty beer bottle during a dispute over change at a local butchery on May 5, 2025.

The altercation began after Khonzani became agitated when the shopkeeper allegedly delayed giving him his change. In a fit of rage, he smashed an empty beer bottle on the victim’s head. A witness quickly intervened and restrained him before police arrived at the scene.

Khonzani was arrested and later appeared before the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court, where he was convicted of assault and sentenced to a custodial term.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) has since urged the public to settle disagreements peacefully and avoid violent confrontations.