IT never rains but pours for incarcerated Johanne Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leader Ishmael Chokurongerwa, who is again set to defend a $5 000 lawsuit filed against him by one of last year’s shrine public violence victims, Bishop Lameck Chitope.
BY CHARLES LAITON
Chokurongerwa, who is serving a four-year effective jail term for public violence, is set to contest the damages lawsuit behind bars after his application seeking bail pending appeal was dismissed by the High Court two weeks ago.
Chokurongerwa is being sued alongside his churchmate, Takavengwa Gwenzi of Green Valley, Epworth, over the same allegations of assault perpetrated on the man of the cloth during a clash with law enforcement agents in Budiriro on May 30 last year.
In his particulars of claim filed on Tuesday last week at the magistrates’ court, Chitope said: “After the assault perpetrated on me by the two defendants on May 30, 2014 my claim is as follows; Damages and loss of income $3 000, injuries and medical expenses incurred $1 500, pain and humiliation on my person $500.”
Chokurongerwa is among the 12 members of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu who were slapped with jail terms by the magistrates’ court after being convicted of public violence.
Chances of Chokurongerwa reversing imprisonment through his appeal looks slim following his dismissal of his bail pending appeal application by High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze two weeks ago.
In his judgment Justice Mawadze said: “There was no misdirection on the part of the court aquo, consequently there is no prospects of success on appeal.
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“The applicant (Chokurongerwa) was properly convicted of the charge of public violence….On sentence, this was a serious offence, State property was damaged, police officers, journalists and other members of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) were injured in the course of their duties therefore a loud and clear message was sent by the court and I do not doubt that the five-year sentence was proper as a result I do not believe that the appeal court will interfere with the sentence.”
The court heard on the day in question, ACCZ president Bishop Johannes Ndanga, his delegation, police officers and journalists visited Chokurongerwa’s shrine to address the gathering over issues of child abuse.
While at the venue Chokurongerwa started singing an inciting song called Umambo hwepfumo neropa (The kingdom of the spear and blood) following which Ndanga, his delegation, police and journalists were severely assaulted.
