Harare, May 30 (IANS) A policeman in Zimbabwe has been placed in detention for using President Robert Mugabe's toilet at a trade fair a fortnight ago.

Sergeant Alois Mabhunu was on duty at the fair in Zimbabwe's second largest city of Bulawayo about two weeks ago when he received an urgent call of nature.

He rushed to the first toilet he laid eyes on, and that happened to be Mugabe's private lavatory. Toilet guards tried to block Mabhunu's access but he fought his way through and locked himself in.

After relieving himself, he left and resumed his duties. But the guards reported the incident to the secret police and he was arrested the next day, the bulawayo24.com reported.

Mabhunu was being held at a police detention centre outside Bulawayo and was due to appear before a police disciplinary hearing Friday.

The 87-year-old Zimbabwean president is fiercely protected by large squadrons of secret police and soldiers wherever he goes.

Motorists who accidentally get in the way of Mugabe's motorcade are routinely assaulted, and have no recourse to the law, the report said.