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Chronicle Reporter
A BULAWAYO woman who used to operate a salon in one of the city’s oldest suburbs, Makokoba is being sort after she reportedly skipped bail on charges pertaining to the role she played in the January 14 violent demonstrations that rocked the city.
The protests, that were organized by the opposition, MDC Alliance saw companies and individuals lose their properties to the marauding demonstrators.
During the demonstrations, ordinary businesses became the biggest targets of attacks, resulting in the loss of goods, income, jobs and shops which were vandalised
Numerous individuals were arrested and convicted for their role in the protests with some escaping to neighbouring South Africa fearing arrest for the roles they played in the protest.
Chosen Ncube the owner of the salon is said to have been caught with groceries at her house which police had claimed they suspected to have been part of those that had been looted at various outlets in the city despite her producing receipts that she had legally purchased the goods.
Ncube’s salon was one of the popular hangout places in the suburb and had been for some time been considered a hub of members of the opposition hence Ncube was reportedly fingered by the police as one of the ring leaders of the demonstrations.
“The salon had been for some time on the radar of the police and supporters of the ruling Zanu-PF who had raised a red flag on allegations that the opposition were using it as a meeting place. Hence, when the strike happened, Ncube was immediately targeted as one of the suspected frontrunners coincidentally when the police raided her house they found her with groceries which she had bought in town which led to the police suspecting that they had been looted during the demonstration despite her producing receipts for the purchases,” said a relative to Ncube.
She reportedly released on bail the following day and ordered to return for routine remand on 14 March, however she skipped bail informing relatives that she feared that she would be persecuted for a crime she did not commit.
The police confirmed that they were looking for a whereabouts after she skipped bail.
“A warrant of arrest against Chosen Ncube who was facing charges of inciting public violence was opened after she failed to appear in court for routine remand after she had been placed on free bail,” reads a police statement.
Investigations by this publication revealed that she initially moved from her house in Makokoba to her brother’s homestead in Tsholotsho but had since also disappeared from there.
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