MDC-N MP for Insiza South, Siyabonga Ncube, who was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly infecting a Bulawayo female journalist with HIV and insulting her in cellphone text messages, appeared in court yesterday.
Ncube (48), of Lot 2, Impateni Farm, West Nicholson, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira, but was not formally charged.
He is being accused of deliberate transmission of HIV and sending a message that is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or threatening character.
He was remanded to July 7 on $100 bail and ordered to reside at his farm and not to interfere with witnesses.
The State, represented by prosecutor Patrobs Dube, had proposed $200 bail, but Ncube’s lawyer Mweliwenkululeko Ncube contested the amount on the basis that his client had come to court on summons.
The MP told the court that he had no complaints about the way he was handled by the police while in their custody.
However, Ncube’s lawyer filed a notice to the court that he would challenge remand on July 7 or have the matter go for trial if the State was ready.
“I want to submit that on the next remand date, we will be making an application for refusal of remand because there is no evidence which warrants putting my client on remand.
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“Alternatively, since the prosecution has said they want to verify issues, the matter should go for trial on that date if I am satisfied with the new evidence,” said the lawyer. Charges against Ncube are that between August 2009 and July 2010, he fell in love with the scribe aged 25 years.
During the month of September 2009 they had unprotected sex and continued with their intimate relationship until July last year, when the affair ended.
In March last year, the journalist discovered that Ncube had lost his wife three to four years back and she allegedly asked him the cause of her death.
He was allegedly shocked to get that question and did not disclose the cause of death to the scribe. As a result the journalist developed suspicion that Ncube’s wife might have died of an HIV-related illness.
On July 1, she also discovered that Ncube was in a relationship with another woman and the scribe ended her affair with him on August 1.
However, she alleges that she never engaged in sexual intercourse with any other person until she went to the New Start Centre for re-testing on April 1 this year and was found positive. Six days later, she sent a message to Ncube advising him about her new status.
“It’s just wrong and it’s wrong that you did not tell me your status yet I remember telling you that I went to the New Start Centre and tested negative. That was during the first month of our love,” read her message to Ncube.
However, Ncube seemed to have been incensed by the new developments and allegedly replied insulting her.
“Do you know my status wena sifebe (you prostitute)?” he texted back. The woman last Friday reported the matter to the police, leading to Ncube’s arrest.
