adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A MINE manager in Gwanda allegedly detained a Zesa employee for 45 minutes and labelled him a monkey for switching off power at his mine.
Gwanda magistrate Sheila Nazombe heard on Tuesday, how Makwe Mine manager Vanlee Chigwada, 23, unlawfully detained a Gwanda-based Zesa credit controller, Saul Dangirwa, 43, for about 45 minutes after he had switched off electricity at the mine over unpaid bills. The amount owed was not disclosed.
Prosecuting, Jefta Nyikadzinashe, told the court that Chigwada had initially tried in vain to reason with Dangirwa to spare the gold mine saying the move was going to negatively affect production.
Nyikadzinashe narrated how Chigwada detained and insulted Dangirwa for switching off electricity at Makwe Mine.
“On November 18 this year, at around 7.30pm, the complainant together with his workmate Shiri Simbiso was on tour of duty when they arrived at Makwe Mine. The complainant firstly talked to the security guard, Itai Gumi, informing him that they were switching off electricity at the mine over unpaid bills,” Nyikadzinashe said.
He added: “The complainant was granted permission to enter the mine premises and while he was inside, the complainant called the accused and gave him a disconnection statement.”
The court heard that Chigwada did not take the matter lightly and became furious, rejecting the statement and throwing it away.
However, Chigwada’s anger did not stop Dangirwa from carrying out his duty.
Said Nyikadzinashe: “The complainant proceeded to switch off electricity while the accused was phoning his supervisor about the development through the cell phone, insulting the complainant by saying: ‘I am speaking to Zesa monkeys who want to switch off electricity and are failing to understand’. The accused repeated the statement twice.”
Nyikadzinashe said Dangirwa was then detained for about 45 minutes at the mine only to be released after he had indicated that he would report the matter to the police.
Chigwada pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to January 3, 2014 for trial.
Online Reporter