admin
Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The trial of four MDC-T members accused of assaulting party organising secretary for Harare Tichaona Munyanyi failed to start at the Harare Magistrates Courts yesterday because Munyanyi, who is the key witness, fell ill. Munyanyi (56) was allegedly assaulted on April 10 this year, while seeking to join a meeting at the party headquarters at Harvest House in Harare. MDC-T youth chairman for Harare province, Stewart Shekespear Mukoyi (38), Denford Ngadziore (32), Francis Machimbidzofa (38) and Rhino Mashaya yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Batanai Madzingira facing assault and theft charges.
Their lawyer, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, gave notice to apply for refusal of further remand if trial fails to commence on the next remand date. “The trial has not kicked-off for one reason or the other,” he said. “If on the next remand date trial fails to start again, we will apply for refusal of further remand.”
The quartet is on $100 bail each and they are expected back in court next Monday.
Prosecutor Mr Progress Maringamoyo told the court that Munyanyi did not avail himself to court because he was not feeling well. Mr Batanai postponed the matter to next Monday and advised Mr Mwonzora to come back to court for a possible withdrawal or removal from remand.
Mr Maringamoyo alleged that on April 10 this year around 12.30pm, Munyanyi went to Harvest House situated at corner Angwa Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue in Harare.
The court heard that Munyanyi wanted to attend an MDC-T national council meeting to which he is a member. Upon arrival, Munyanyi was allegedly denied entry by one of the security personnel, Lovejoy Chitegu Dunga.
He managed to sneak into the meeting and was spotted by Mukoyi, who called Francis Machimbidzofa, Rhino Mashaya, Denford Ngadziore and other MDC-T youths who started assaulting him.
Mukoyi and his accomplices allegedly stole Munyanyi’s Nokia cellphone worth $100 and $200 cash both of which were never recovered.
Online Reporter