BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

GWERU provincial magistrate Charity Maphosa yesterday postponed to next Friday the trial of MDC organising secretary, Amos Chibaya who is facing charges of inciting violence, after the State failed to avail its witnesses.

Maphosa, however, gave the State until February 22, to bring witnesses failing which the case will be stuck off the roll.

This is the third time that the State has failed to avail its two witnesses, with police indicating they could no longer locate them.

Allegations against Chibaya are that on January 13, at his house in Mkoba 13, he addressed MDC youths and incited them to go onto the streets to prevent the general public from going to work.

It is alleged that the youths later blocked roads from Mkoba leading to the city centre and Matobo Road in Mtapa using logs, stones and burning tyres, thereby disrupting the movement of vehicles and the general public.

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Further allegations are that the gang proceeded to Choppies Supermarket in Mkoba 6 where they allegedly looted groceries worth $10 000, Flame Lily Bar in Mkoba 1 where they looted goods worth $1 363 and Samanyanga Shop in Mkoba 10 where they looted groceries valued at $2 500.

Chibaya, who is on $500 bail, however, denied the charges.