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Brawling artists case deferred

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The trial of Bulawayo artist and film director, Langelihle Styx Mhlanga, has been deferred to May 3 following a nationwide strike by magistrates. Mhlanga is facing charges of assaulting a budding artist Magura Charumbira who had gone to the National Art Gallery to seek assistance. He denies the charge. The trial was supposed to continue […]

The trial of Bulawayo artist and film director, Langelihle Styx Mhlanga, has been deferred to May 3 following a nationwide strike by magistrates.

Mhlanga is facing charges of assaulting a budding artist Magura Charumbira who had gone to the National Art Gallery to seek assistance. He denies the charge.

The trial was supposed to continue on Tuesday. The state alleges on March 7, Charumbira visited fellow artist Sithandazile Dube at the National Arts Gallery where he wanted to seek advice on his poems.

When Charumbira entered the studio he allegedly found Dube seated with Mhlanga.

Charumbira asked Dube to listen to one of his poems and he recited it to her. The poem was about national heroes.

It was then that Mhlanga allegedly advised Charumbira to also include late Vice-Presidents Joshua Nkomo and Joseph Msika, and late MDC deputy president Gibson Sibanda.

Mhlanga’s comment allegedly angered Charumbira, resulting in the pair exchanging harsh words.

The argument spilt into the corridors and Mhlanga allegedly picked up a stone sculpture and tried to hit Charumbira, but Dube intervened and stopped the attack.

It is alleged the pushing and shoving continued until Charumbira fell on the rails.

One of the sculptors at the site, Brian Jonathan Kumira, later intervened and stopped the skirmishes but Charumbira proceeded to report the matter to the police.

Mhlanga is being represented by Lizwe Jamela of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Goodluck Katenaire is representing the state.