A friendly greeting by a Karoi Roman Catholic Church builder to a man ended brutally after he was bashed and had his lower lip bitten off.
The NPA said the offender will now perform community service for the assault charges.
Court records state that Joel Kwenda appeared before a Karoi Magistrates’ Court.
“On 1 June 2025, at around 1000 hours, at the Roman Catholic Church, the victim was plastering a house when the offender passed by the site.
“The victim greeted the offender, who told him that he must not befriend him, and the victim thought he was joking.
“The offender became angry, and he chased the victim and assaulted him with clenched fists and bit him on his lower lip resulting in the complainant losing a chunk of flesh,” said NPA.
The court sentenced Kwenda to 18 months imprisonment, of which nine months was suspended for five years.
“A further nine months were suspended on the condition that the offender perform community service.”
