MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU-Provincial Magistrate, Beaulity Dube today deferred the bail ruling for Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) losing candidate for Chirumhanzu South, Patrick Cheza (50) and four other activists to September 12.
The five are accused of assaulting controversial Tourism Deputy Minister, Barbara Rwodzi who is also Chirumanzu South legislator.
The postponement comes after Magistrate Dube told the Court that she can not deal with the matter which has more that two hundred hand written pages immediately, hence the need to wait for the trial Magistrate, Tendai Killian Mahwe who had initially presided over the case in Mvuma before he transferred the matter to Gweru.
However, rolling over the matter to next week enraged the accused’s defense counsel, Leopold Mudisi and Esau Mandipa who argued that the State wanted to fix their clients using delaying tactics.
“The delay for bail ruling is unreasonable as the current Court can deliver judgement even the trial Magistrate is absent. The state wanted to fix the accused persons by delaying bail ruling. Bail application is an urgent matter and Constitutional right for accused persons,” argued Mudisi.
Cheza, was charged with inciting public violence alongside Elias Maduveko (26), Magmaster Chidyawuye (21), Delight Zinyemba (22) and Courage Mugova (20).
He is accused of inciting CCC members to beat Rwodzi, after his car was allegedly involved in a car accident with the Deputy Minister’s vehicle.
Prosecuting, Tongai Bongani Mavuto told the Court that on August 24 along the Charandura-Chaka dust road, George Rwodzi, son to the MP-elect was involved in an accident with Cheza’s car which was being driven by John Bata.
George and Bata phoned Rwodzi and Cheza respectively following the accident.
After arriving at the scene, Cheza allegedly charged at Rwodzi and accused her of trying to kill members of his campaign team.
The other four accused who wielded iron bars and other weapons allegedly charged at Rwodzi.
Chidyawuye, who was allegedly armed with an AK 47, produced a knife and deflated the tyre of an Isuzu pick up before they assaulted Rwodzi.
The court heard that the four stopped the violence after Rwodzi’s aide fired a warning shot into the air.
The accused persons were later arrested at Charandura after being identified by one Gladys Chivige, who was with Rwodzi at the accident scene.
