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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Chirumanzu constituency losing CCC candidate Patrick Cheza (50) was on Wednesday remanded in custody to Tuesday next week for a bail ruling on charges that he incited a group of 19 of his supporters to seriously assault a deputy minister after her son was involved in an accident with a car belonging to Cheza.
Cheza appeared before Gweru magistrate Ms Beaulity Dube who was standing in for presiding magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe. Ms Dube said while the defence noted that the eight-day postponement of the matter was unreasonable, and she agreed it was long, she could not deliver the bail ruling judgement since she was not privy to the case or contents of the record and the judgment on the bail ruling had to wait for the return of Mr Mahwe.
“The defence had indicated that they wanted the bail ruling at the latest tomorrow but I have seen that the record has 218 hand written pages. This court can’t deliver ruling on behalf of Mr Mahwe. It’s left with no choice but to postpone the matter to a date when Mr Mahwe will be available. So the bail ruling is postponed to next week Tuesday,” she said.
The losing CCC candidate handed himself to the police in the company of his lawyer Mr Esau Mandipa of Mutatu and Mandipa Legal Practice following the arrest of his supporters who assaulted Deputy Minister for Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi after her son Mr George Chengetai Rwodzi was involved in an accident with a vehicle belonging to Cheza.
Prosecutor Mr Taurai Mabuto told the court that on August 24, at around 1:20pm Cheza was driving along the Charandura- Chaka dust road and came across a road traffic accident involving his motor vehicle and a vehicle driven by Mr Chengetai Rwodzi.
Upon arrival, Cheza allegedly shouted on top of his voice at Deputy Minister Rwodzi demanding to know why she wanted to kill CCC supporters yet she had won the just ended harmonised elections.
Cheza was allegedly in control of Master Chidyiwe, Elias Maduveko, Deligull Sinyemba, Courage Mugova, Tonderai Mangau, Tinashe Muzvondiwa, Lovemore Paridzira, Toga Chimhari, Chris Mutovani, Onsimo Gumbu and other nine persons. He allegedly shouted “ngaarohwe”, meaning to say beat her.
Cheza, the court heard, allegedly incited Chidyiwe, Maduveko, Sinyemba, Mugova, Mangau, Muzvondiwa, Paridzira, Chimbari, Mutovoni, Gumbu and nine other persons who charged towards the Deputy Minister with iron bars, sticks and knives.
Cheza appeared visibly angry and allegedly raised his right hand in a challenging manner to Deputy Minister Rwodzi and continued shouting at her that it was time for CCC members to discipline her since they had been troubled by Zanu-PF members for a long time
Acting in common purpose, the court heard that Chidyiwe violently tripped the Deputy Minister with his right foot at the same time trying to stab her on the face with a knife.
While she was lying on the ground and crying for help, Maduveko, Sinyemba, Mugova, Mangau, Muzvondiwa, Paridzira, Chimbari, Mutovoni, Gumbu and another nine accused persons joined in and indiscriminately kicked her several times all over her body and back.
The group stopped attacking her when her security aide fired one shot into the air.
Deputy Minister Rwodzi sustained serious injuries and is currently admitted in hospital where she is receiving treatment
The 19 accused who allegedly committed the assault are in custody facing public violence charges.CCC’s losing candidate further remanded
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