×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

MDC-T members charged over 2008 violence

Politics
LUPANE — Eight MDC-T activists appeared in court on Tuesday to answer to charges of violence emanating from the 2008 presidential election run-off. The court heard the activists waylaid Zanu PF supporters coming from a campaign rally and struck them with axes, knobkerries, stones and logs before setting dogs on them. Lupane resident magistrate Takudzwa […]

LUPANE — Eight MDC-T activists appeared in court on Tuesday to answer to charges of violence emanating from the 2008 presidential election run-off.

The court heard the activists waylaid Zanu PF supporters coming from a campaign rally and struck them with axes, knobkerries, stones and logs before setting dogs on them.

Lupane resident magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba is presiding over the case in which the suspects, Cetshwayo Ncube, Lungisani Ndlovu, Jokona Mpofu, Kara Sibanda, John Ngwabi, Edgar Ncube, Victor Nyoni and Robert Tshuma, all of Lupane, appear. The eight were not asked to plead and their trial date was set for December 1.

When they were arrested in 2008, they appeared at the Hwange Magistrates’ Court before the case was transferred to Lupane recently.

On June 21, 2008, the activists allegedly gathered at Mapanda Dam in Lupane where they hatched a plan to attack Zanu PF supporters coming from a campaign rally at Mpehlwa Primary School in the district.

They allegedly armed themselves with axes, knobkerries, stones, logs, and dogs and went to a bridge on Gomoza stream in Lupane where they laid an ambush. When the Zanu PF supporters were about to pass the bridge, the eight allegedly attacked before setting dogs on them.Two of the Zanu PF supporters were seriously injured during the alleged attack.

The injured were taken to St Luke’s Hospital for treatment and a report was made to the police, leading to the suspects’ arrest.

Sanders Sibanda is prosecuting.