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accused of stealing two generators from a white former commercial farmer chose to take oath while raising clenched fists.
Normally people take oath with open hands.
Mliswa (39) is appearing before regional magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi facing two counts of theft.
The case also proved to be unique as defences counsel Mr Charles Chinyama did not cross-examine any of the witnesses.
First to give evidence was Norman Josiah of Hesketh Park Farm who told the court that he knew Mliswa in connection with the sale of his former’s boss Mr John Coast’s farm equipment.
He said his former employer introduced Mli-swa to him and other war veterans as someone who had come from London and had acquired all his farm equipment.
Another state witness Mr Dickson Muzondiwa who was being led by Prosecutor Ms Rufaro Mhandu said he did not know Mliswa.
Mr Rashwet Garandanga of Westlands Plot, Karoi said Mr Coast introduced Mliswa to him as the person to whom he had sold all his farming equipment.
He said they were not surprised that he collected the equipment as they were told he had bought all of it.
Mr Target Kamutikaoma who used to be Mr Coast’s tractor driver said his former boss told him to clean the tractor and disk as he had sold all his farm equipment to Mliswa.
A Ministry of Youth official Taurai Wada and a farmer at Hesketh Park farm concurred with other witnesses before setting the gallery into laughter after suggesting that Mr Coast must have been asleep when he sold the equipment to Mliswa.
“It surprises me that at one point you sell someone your equipment and the next day you accuse him of stealing the same equipment, he must have been asleep when he sold the equipment,” he said.
Mr Mutevedzi deferred the matter to July 1 this year.
Mliswa is alleged to have stolen two generators from Mr John Coast in 2003.
Online Reporter