Chronicle Editor
Rutendo Rori, Harare Bureau
An MDC Alliance member yesterday escaped the law’s wrath for maliciously damaging property after he stoned and damaged a party official’s vehicle.
Lenon Zhanje, alligned to MDC Alliance secretary general Mr Douglas Mwonzora allegedly threw a stone and damaged a vehicle belonging to Marondera Ward 4 MDC Alliance Councillor Mr Charles Ngwena (38).
The matter was supposed to appear at Marondera Magistrates Court yesterday but the complainant withdrew the case and said the matter would be internally settled.
According to court papers, on April 7 at around 11am, at the MDC Alliance provincial party office, the party was holding its district congress elections involving all district wards in Marondera Central constituency.
Due to factional fights within the party, it is alleged that a misunderstanding arose between the complainant who is on the side of MDC Alliance’s president, Mr Nelson Chamisa and the accused person alligned to Mr Mwonzora.
Other supporters of Mr Mwonzora claimed that the number of people drawn from the district to cast votes was too limited.
The accused person, who was among the gathering, threw a stone and hit one spot light on the complainant’s vehicle.
The complainant reported the case at Dombotombo Police Station resulting in the arrest of the accused.
It is alleged that on the same day, the accused person also reported a case of assault against Wellington Makonese who is a security guard at the provincial headquarters, and Wisdom Gwenzi and another male adult who was only identified as Sadza.
It is reported that the three suspected that Zhanje was a member of Zanu-PF party and they instructed him to leave but he refused, insisting that he was a bona fide MDC Alliance supporter.
The three beat Zhanje with clenched fists all over the body.
Online Reporter