adminfistfights opens today.
The group which is jointly charged with Public Violence is pleading not guilty to the charges.
Beitbridge magistrate Mrs Auxillia Chiumburu last month remanded the entire group out of custody to their trial date and ordered all to reside at their given addresses and not to interfere with state witnesses as part of their bail conditions.
The duo of Moffat Ndou and Buhle Dube who are the party’s western and eastern chairpersons were also jointly charged for convening the meeting which led to the chaos without notifying the police.
Other four members; Tobias Sibanda (32), Sikhephula Moyo (42), Graham Nyoni (24) and Savious Singo (27) were further charged with criminal trespass for storming the house of Home Affairs co-Minister and Beitbridge East legislator Cde Kembo Mohadi.
All the six were also remanded out of custody with the rest of the group.
I
ts is the state case that on February 6, 2010 at around 10am Moffat Ndou and Buhle Dube convened a public gathering at Caravan Park in the border town without notifying the regulatory authority who are the police.
While at the Caravan Park, clashes ensued be-tween the groups led by Enos Tshili and Eliot Maveza leading both groups to run wild and destroying property at the venue.
They also inflicted some serious injuries to two people who have since been taken to Harare for special treatment, while six others were treated and discharged at Beitbridge district hospital.
Those who were seriously injured are Nhlangano Zvambira and Paul Tadzembwa.
During the fight the groups proceeded to the streets in the nearby low density suburbs and town area where they stared disrupting the flow of traffic by throwing stones at motorists.
It was during that process that Tobias Sibanda (32), Sikhephula Moyo (42), Graham Nyoni (24) and Savious Singo (27) entered into Minister Mohadi’s premises where they were then apprehended by the police on guard.
Riot police were called in when delegates to the meeting at Caravan Park started exchanging blows after what is believed to be a tribal-based dispute erupted.
Several people were seriously injured and 58 people were arrested.
Police recovered 35 boulders and 8 logs from Buhle Dube’s car while more were recovered from the scene.
Mr Reason Mutimba prosecuted, while Mr Winston Tshakalisa of Tshakalisa Legal Practitioners and Mr Misheck Hogwe of Hogwe, Dzimirai and Partners initially represented the accused persons.
It is understood that a long-standing tribal feud within the district, pitting a faction led by Enos Chili and incumbent Beitbridge Town Council chairman Fanuel Mandebvu, is said to have sparked the fierce violence.
Sources said Chili’s faction was advocating equal sharing of executive posts between Venda and Shona members.
MDC-T national chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo was scheduled to address the meeting.
He stayed away when he received reports of the violence.
Online Reporter