Zanu PF internal strife in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe (UMP) has turned bloody as supporters of former Member of Parliament Kenneth Mutiwekuziva and those backing the incumbent legislator, Washington Masvaire, attack each other.
It is alleged Masvaire’s supporters attacked and injured Mutiwekuziva’s supporters for allegedly maintaining allegiance to the latter.
Five Zanu PF supporters from the alleged Mutiwekuziva faction were lucky to survive, but sustained serious injuries including fractured arms, deep head-cuts and internal body injuries.
The injured include three men and two women. Eleven men were arrested on April 15 and charged with public violence following the intra-party fracas.
The accused appeared before Mutawatawa resident magistrate Robson Finsin on April 21 and were remanded in custody.
On Wednesday, the accused — Zeckias Ziunye (39), Bonnie Chibundu (43), Major Mutero (38), Samuel Kwindima (37) Lloyd Kamuriwo (28), Takura Mhungu (31), Arthur Mhungu (43), Tandeza Nyarumbe (28), Togarepi Chikotera (29), Mistake Chinofura (22) and Stanford Masangudza (40) — were back in court for trial.
The State alleges on April 12 the men teamed up and connived to attack the complainants, Dick Tore and Lucia Nyamayedenga of Mazarura village, Nyadzisai and Faston Kachidza of Chifunya village and Tafadzwa Chibundu of Chibundu village.
In their defence filed in the court record by their lawyer, Charles Warara, the men denied ever assaulting the complainants on the day in question.
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They said they were not at the place where the attacks are alleged to have occurred.
Tore suffered three fractures on his right hand and Chibundu suffered a broken left hand, a deep cut on the head while the rest sustained internal injuries.
