Lloyd Shunje
MUTARE – Manicaland provincial magistrate, Tendai Mahwe on Wednesday sentenced a Zimunya-based Mambwere branch Zanu PF youth chairperson to six months imprisonment for assaulting an MDC supporter who had refused to leave a bottle store.
David Kokota Masinji (46) of Mambwere village under Chief Zimunya was found guilty of assault as defined in Section 89(1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 for assaulting Collen Manyiwo (45) of Manzununu village under Chief Zimunya.
Masinji pleaded guilty to the assault charge but said he was acting the way he did in fear that violence would break out since Manyiwo had refused to leave.
Masinji will serve four months in prison after the other two were suspended on condition that he does commit another offence in the next five years.
Appearing for the State, Fletcher Karombe said on June 24 at around 18:45 hrs, Manyiwo was watching soccer at Ngome bottle store when the accused got into the place in the company of a fellow party supporter identified as Amos Makaya.
Makaya instructed the barman to lower the volume of the radio before ordering that all MDC in the place to leave, but Manyiwo remained seated.
The accused charged towards Manyiwo, grabbed his collar and pushed him outside and he fell down. The victim then went home and made a police report the following morning, leading to Masinji’s arrest.local
