FOUR Zanu PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairman Kazembe Kazembe’s supporters facing charges of robbing foodstuffs worth $28 000 belonging to Harare businessman Tafadzwa Musarara have appealed for more time to prepare their defence.
BY OWN CORRESPONDENT
Zvidzai Kajokoto of Kajokoto and Company, who is representing the two accused persons on Thursday told a Bindura magistrate, Vongai Muchuchuti that the State had not given him enough time to prepare his defence.
“I only got the State papers today and it is my humble appeal that the case be postponed to Tuesday so that I have time to study the charges which my clients are being accused of,” he appealed.
The State, represented by Brighton Korera, argued that the defence team was given enough time to peruse the papers.
He said the State was surprised by the postponement application which the defence was making.
Muchuchuti, however, said because of the nearness of postponement date which the defence had applied for, it was fair for her to grant the application and postponed the trial to July 3.
According to the State, on April 28 at Dandamera shopping centre in Concession, Boyd Fungulani, Shingirai Chisango, Lens Faranando and Jonah Gwenya surrounded a 30-tonne truck belonging to Musarara, who was contesting in the Zanu PF primary elections against Kazembe for Mazowe West constituency.
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The State further alleges that while at the truck, the four ordered the driver, Bachelor Mpalane to surrender the car keys to them before beating him up and looted food tuffs which included flour worth $28 000.
The foodstuffs were meant for Musarara’s supporters ahead of the party’s primary elections which were due the following day.
The case was reported to Concession Police Station who referred it to Bindura CID section, leading to the arrest of the four.
The State has lined up six witnesses for the trial.
Tymon Tabana of Rubaya and Chatambidza Legal Practitioners is advising Musarara and five other witnesses in the case.
