Mahendere sentence set for month end

at the Chitungwiza Magistrates’ Court for his defence after his lawyer failed to submit a written application for discharge at the close of the State case.
Magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa remanded Mahendere and his accomplices Washington Tapfumaneyi (27) and Moses Chonse (26) to July 31 when she will pass judgment.
Mahendere said in his defence that Ignatius Nyika (30) fabricated the case because he wanted to tarnish his image. “Your Worship, the complainant is lying against me because he wanted to tarnish my image since I am a famous person,” he said.
Mahendere is facing two counts of assault and another of unlawfully pointing a gun at Nyika of Unit N, Chitungwiza.
He is alleged to have used the butt of the gun to assault Nyika.
Prosecutor Mr Luke Mutupe told the court that on May 13 this year at around 11am in Unit G Extension, Chonse and Tapfumaneyi boarded Nyika’s kombi.
A misunderstanding with the conductor arose over the volume of the radio. The two disembarked from the kombi together with the conductor and exchanged harsh words. This prompted Nyika to disembark from the bus and there was commotion.
Mahendere allegedly arrived at the scene armed with a pistol and allegedly withdrew it and pointed it at Nyika’s chest before hitting him with the gun’s butt three times on the face.
The court heard that after the assault, Mahendere dragged Nyika into the kombi and removed keys from the ignition and punched him in the face.