CHIEF Ndondo, born Dumisani Basil Ndondo, from Mbembesi in Umguza district, has been taken to court on allegations of kidnapping, assaulting and tying his subject Even Ndlovu to a tree, accusing him of bunking traditional court hearings and being disrespectful.
By NIZBERT MOYO/ALEXIS SIBANDA
Ndondo and his messenger, Nzelani Mpengesi, were remanded out of custody to October 23 for continuation of trial, after they briefly appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Joseph Mabeza.
The court heard that in April this year, Ndondo allegedly hit Ndlovu three times on the thighs with a knobkerrie, accusing him of being disrespectful.
The chief allegedly ordered Mpengesi, an employee in the Ministry of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage, to assault Ndlovu 17 times with the same knobkerrie.
Ndondo allegedly later stepped on Ndlovu’s head, while other villagers held the complainant down, as he accused him of disrespecting him in an incident that occurred at the chief’s homestead. They later tied him to a tree for six hours, the court heard. Both Ndondo and Mpengesi denied the charges.
