Russell Mapuvire
ZVISHAVANE-A 31-year-old man and his gang members from Gudo village under Chief Mazvihwa appeared before the Zvishavane magistrate Charity Tonongera on January 24 facing three counts of assault after allegedly assaulting three people, one allegedly for no given reason and the other two for denying giving them smoke on different occasions.
Kelly Chawa (31), Watsanai Mupomwe (22) and Costa Hlanga (21) are accused of assaulting three people whom they are not related to or even know them.
It is the state case that Chawa assaulted people using a machete, back of an axe and open hands with the help of his friends.
It is reported that on the first count, that occurred on January 22, 2022 around 0600hrs at Sabi compound, the complainant Mike Gombwe(26) employed at Sabi Valley mining company in Zvishavane was coming home from work when he met the accused and his friends. Chawa started hitting Gombwe’s chest using a machete, forcing him to give a cigarette.
Gombwe fell down and Chawa struck the complainant on the waist while he was on the ground before he managed to escape. They tried to follow him up but did not catch him. Gombwe sustained a cut on the waist and bruises on the right knee.
On the second count, it is reported that on the same day around 8pm at Sabi compound, Chawa and his friend Mupomwe met the complainant Panashe Gwama (21) who was coming from his home. The two started to hit the complainant with open hands and fists all over the face for unknown reasons. Chawa then took his machete and used the flat surface to hit on Gwama’s back. He then struck him once on the back which left him with a deep cut.
Chawa’s third count was done with help of his two accomplices Hlanga and Mupomwe when they assaulted Thompson Murambiwa (28) who was going to Sabi Mine shops on January 22 at around 0900hours.
Chawa and friends forced Murambiwa to buy them dagga (mbanje), but when he refused, Chawa hit him twice on the head. Hlanga was holding a machete and hit Murambiwa’s face several times with machete’s flat surface and pushed him to the ground. Chawa then assaulted the complainant on the buttocks several times with an axe handle. The complainant sustained a cut on the back of the head, on the left thumb, buttocks and on his face.
The case was remanded to February 8, 2022 as the accused who pleaded not guilty were denied bail as the court fears that they could cause harm to people if they are released.
Meanwhile a 21-year-old man from Shiku under Chief Masunda appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Charity Tonongera on January 25, 2022 facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly axed his uncle on the forehead over a misunderstanding.
Samuel Moyo is accused of attempting to kill his uncle Edmore Mugidisa on the January 23 2022 using an axe.
It is reported that on January 23, Moyo had a misunderstanding with his uncle Mugidisa when they were coming from Vengai Beer hall. They started to fight, and Moyo fled to his homestead. He then collected an axe and went back to where he had left his uncle and struck him with it on the forehead before fleeing the scene leaving the axe stuck on the forehead of Mugidisa.
He was then arrested when the matter was reported to police.
Moyo was remanded in custody to February 8 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Hilda Sibanda appeared for the State
