Zanu-PF youths in court for assaulting party members

Cynthia Dube, Court Reporter
TWO Bulawayo Zanu-PF youths have been arrested for allegedly assaulting fellow party members during an inter-district political meeting last month at Davies Hall.

Magura Charumbira and Butholezwe Ngwenya appeared before magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing a charge of assault.

Charumbira and Ngwenya were separately charged.

Mr Tashaya did not ask them to plead and remanded the duo out of custody.

Ngwenya will be back in court tomorrow.

Charumbira, who was stabbed when violence erupted during a meeting on May 21, is not new to the courts as he is facing another charge of malicious damage to property.

Ngwenya allegedly slapped Charumbira while Charumbira poked a youth officer Charlton Ivako (59) in his face several times.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said Charumbira, who was the ring leader of more than 50 youths, arrived at Davies Hall to disturb the meeting.

“The agenda of the meeting was to address issues in the province. A group of about 50 uninvited youths led by the accused entered the meeting. He shouted, ‘Imimi naKasukuwere mauraya musangano!’ (You and Kasukuwere have destroyed the party) and went on to poke the complainant in the eye using his forefinger,” said Mr Dlodlo.

The court heard that Ngwenya, who had attended the meeting, stood up and slapped Charumbira once on the cheek.

“A misunderstanding ensued between the two over the presence of Charumbira and his group. This resulted in Ngwenya slapping Charumbira once in the face. Ngwenya then fled from the scene soon after committing the offence,” said the prosecutor.

Last month, Bulawayo provincial war veterans’ chairman Cephas Ncube, three war veterans and three Zanu-PF youths including Charumbira were involved in violent skirmishes when rival groups fiercely clashed during the party’s provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) meeting.

Ncube (59) of Nketa 8 suburb and fellow war veterans Juliet Sibanda (55) of Magwegwe North, Luke Mpofu (64) of Nkulumane and Abigail Nyamunda (53) of Tshabalala are facing assault charges following the chaos at the party’s headquarters.

Ncube is also separately charged for indecent assault after allegedly fondling Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial youth league Chairperson Cde Anna Mokgohloa.

The ruling party’s youths —  Davies Muhambi (35) of Burnside,  Mabutho Moyo (32) of New Luveve and Charumbira of Trenance are facing charges of malicious damage to property.

Youths and war veterans laid an almost six-hour siege at the hall while Central Committee members, Politburo members, provincial executives and legislators were holed up inside.

Anti-riot police had to be called to the party offices to control some youths who were trying to stop the executive from holding the                  meeting accusing the provincial leadership of supporting national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.

Muhambi, Moyo and Charumbira are accused of throwing stones and damaging window panes at Davies Hall during the scuffle.

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