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Fungai Lupande Senior Court Reporter
Gospel musician-cum-politician Elias Musakwa, who has hosted “noisy” weddings at his house, yesterday dismissed the “noise” allegations as mere politics pitting the complainant’s father and deputy minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development (Cropping Production) Davis Marapira.
Through his lawyer Ms Purity Chikangaise, Musakwa (48) pleaded not guilty to threatening to shoot his neighbour Kennedy Mudukuti after being reported to the police for making noise.
Musakwa resides at No.5 Fairmile Close, Ruwa, while Mudukuti stays with his parents at No.12 in the same street. In his defence, Musakwa told the court that Mudukuti had a vendetta against him.
He said his functions were cleared by the police and Mudukuti and his father disturbed the functions more than five times. Mudukuti, who was the first State witness, told the court that he recorded Musakwa while he was threatening him.
“His wife restrained him when he was charging at me with a clenched fist,” he said. “She apologised and asked me not to take the matter further. Musakwa called me two hours later, apologising, but I was already at the police station. I accepted his apology, but he was arrogant and vowed that the noise will continue. He said I was wrong to report him because I was of his son’s age. I took the threats seriously and I was finding it difficult to sleep.”
During cross-examination, Ms Chikangaise asked Mudukuti why he switched off a public address system at Musakwa’s house during a wedding. He said he never went to Musakwa’s house without the police and that at one point, Musakwa’s manager was fined for the noise.
“Mudukuti said Musakwa yelled at him after one of the weddings at his house was cancelled because of the complainants. Ms Chikangaise concluded that the issue was political after Mudukuti said he heard that Musakwa failed to enter the political arena.
The prosecutor Mr Nyikadzino Machingura alleged that sometime in September last year, Mudukuti went to the police to report Musakwa for making a lot of noise. He alleged that the police visited Musakwa and warned him against criminal nuisance.
The court heard that on October 19, 2016, Musakwa spotted Mudukuti at his gate and approached him. Musakwa allegedly threatened to shoot him if he continued calling the police to interfere with his functions.
Online Reporter