Sikhala fingered in Mangoma attack

Fungai Lupande Harare Bureau
SUSPENDED MDC-T deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma yesterday implicated party returnee, Job Sikhala, in a case in which nine members are accused of assaulting him at the party’s headquarters in February.
Mangoma was testfying at the Harare magistrates’ court where Francis Machimbidzofa, 38, Enock Mukudu, 31, Stefani Jahwi, 36, Samson Nerwande, 41, Rhino Mashaya, James Chidakwa, Denford Ndadziore, 32, Shakespeare Mukoyi and Paul Gorekore, 31, are facing assault charges.
The nine are represented by Douglas Mwonzora, also the MDC-T’s national spokesman.

Venencia Mtake, prosecuting, called Mangoma, who is the complainant in the matter as the first witness.
“It all started when I wrote a letter to Morgan Tsvangirai informing him of intra-party squabbles,” he said. “Subsequently, a meeting was called on February 15, but just when the meeting was about to end Job Sikhala passed by.

“Outside, there was a crowd singing and threatening that I should be assaulted and Sikhala posted the same on his Facebook page. Senior leadership saw that it was dangerous to go outside and we proceeded to Tsvangirai’s office on the 5th floor.

“It was decided that someone senior must go and disperse the crowd and the (party) chairman Lovemore Moyo was sent. He failed and came back.”

Mangoma told the court that it was then decided that Tsvangirai was to disperse the crowd.
“Tsvangirai said three things to the crowd, firstly that my issue was to be dealt with by the appropriate structures. Secondly, that the crowd should disperse and thirdly that the crowd should meet at a rally the following day,” he said.

“Tsvangirai came back and after 10 minutes, the crowd was still there. As a safety measure, it was decided that Tsvangirai’s security aides were to protect me.”

Mangoma said all hell broke loose when they went outside, with Tsvangirai in front while he followed.
“While outside, after three steps, Tsvangirai stopped and I proceeded to the car, this is when the assault started,” he said. “I was assaulted on the head and face while others were kicking my legs. Machimbidzofa was carrying a placard written that ‘Mangoma must go’, while Chidhakwa was taking a video of the assault.

“The security aides managed to get me to the car and at that time I was bleeding from the nose and my shirt was torn. I was taken to Tsvangirai’s home and I later proceeded to my house.”

Mangoma produced photos extracted from a video taken while he was being assaulted and Harare magistrate Milton Serima admitted them as exhibits.

During cross examination, Mwonzora inquired why Mangoma had produced pictures featuring none of the accused. Mangoma said they were part of the crowd.

The matter was postponed to June 3 for trial continuation.