The pre- and post-President Robert Mugabe’s birthday celebrations held in Matobo last month seem to have been marred by violence, it has emerged.
Source: Zanu PF activist assaulted, robbed for supporting Mnangagwa – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 11, 2017
BY staff reporter
Before the celebrations that took place on February 25 in Matobo, Bulawayo hotels were fully occupied from February 19 and cases of violence in hotel rooms and beer outlets involving Zanu PF members rose sharply.
One of the violent cases has now spilled into the courts and on Thursday, Zanu PF activist Obert Msindo (38) of Tshabalala caused the arrest of Ntombiyelanga Dube (34) and her husband Andifas Banda (38), both of Magwegwe North.
He accused them of assaulting him at Palace Hotel on February 19 for supporting Team Lacoste, a faction allegedly linked to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Dube and Banda, however, denied the violence charge when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove. They were remanded out of custody to March 16 for trial.
In his statement to the police, Msindo said Dube and Banda are Zanu PF supporters and on February 19, at midnight he was drinking beer with them and many other ruling party members at Palace Hotel.
“Dube came to me and removed the cap which I was wearing accusing me of supporting Lacoste, a faction within the party. The cap had an inscription ‘No to corruption’,” Msindo alleged.
“After a while Dube came back wearing a different cap. I took it, but he snatched it away again.”
He said he discovered that Dube had placed his cap between her breasts. When he later enquired about his cap, Dube grabbed him by the collar and started assaulting him before smashing a beer bottle and using it to stab him.
“That is when Banda joined in and hit me on the head with a beer bottle. He forcibly removed my sports jacket and stole my $200. He tossed by jacket and said he took my money and he would spend it,” Msindo said.
“Then I was already bleeding through the nose and I went to report to the police who referred me to hospital. This led to their arrest.”
Kudakwashe Jaravaza is prosecuting the case.
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