A ZIMBABWE National Army boss has appeared before a Beitbridge magistrate court facing charges of kidnapping and threatening his victim with a fire arm.
BY SILAS NKALA
Colonel Dalton Muleya (56) of Dulibadzimo Township who is in charge of army training, pleaded not guilty to charges of contravening the Fire Arms Act, kidnapping and assault when he appeared before Gwanda Regional magistrate Mark Dzira sitting at the Beitbridge court on Thursday.
He was, however, convicted on all counts and the matter was remanded to November 15 for sentencing after Muleya requested to engage another lawyer.
Prosecutor Munyonga Kuvarega told the court that on July 2, 2016 Muleya was at Bennifer Farm compound where he unlawfully pointed a 2,2millimetre rifle at Bonang Mukwena, in the process contravening the Fire Arms Act [Chapter 10:09].
It is the State’s case that on the day Muleya was driving a Ford Ranger single cab to the farm compound when he apprehended Mukwena. He grabbed Mukwena by the collar accusing him of reporting him (Muleya) to the police sometime in January 2015 and letting his employer’s cattle stray into his plot.
Mukwena briefly freed himself, but Muleya cocked his pistol and pointed it at him forcing him to stop. He then ordered his workers to apprehend Mukwena before ordering them to bundle him onto the Ford Ranger truck.
Muleya drove the car to the new plantation situated at Bennifer Estates compound. While at the new plantation he forced the complainant to sit on creeping thorns which pierced his buttocks and legs.
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He later forced Mukwena to chop firewood which he loaded onto the Ford Ranger truck under his guard.
He instructed Mukwena to report to his farm the following day, so that he could erect a fence before releasing him. Mukwena reported the matter to the police leading to Muleya’s arrest.
