News / National
Mashayamombe off the hook, charges dropped
13 Jul 2018 at 14:31hrs | Views
Prosecutors dropped charges of political violence against expelled Zanu-PF Harare political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe who was accused of fomenting violence at the party headquarters to foil his ouster.
Mashayamombe, 32, was jointly charged with Peckias Murindi, 27, Joseph Gakaka, 31, Vengai Mutepaire, 31, and Charles Ngwenya, 26, when they appeared before Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo.
The group's trial was due to commence yesterday but prosecutor Idah Maromo advised the court that the complainants - who are on outstanding warrants of arrest for skipping court hearings - had filed for withdrawal affidavits in the case.
"The last the court convened, complainants were issued with warrants of arrest because they were absent without notice. Efforts to locate them have been fruitless since they filed their withdrawal affidavits
"May the matter be postponed to June 23 for a possible withdrawal? I have advised counsel for the accused that the withdrawal cannot go through in the absence of the complainants."
It is the State's case that on April 15 last year, Zanu-PF Harare provincial executive called for meeting scheduled to begin at 10am that day.
The court heard that provincial executive members only were allowed into the meeting to discuss internal party politics.
It was alleged that Mashayamombe and his gang heard about the meeting and mobilised a group of people to go and foil the proceedings.
Mashayamombe had allegedly been advised that the meeting was organised to expel him from Zanu-PF through a vote-of-no confidence.
Mashayamombe, 32, was jointly charged with Peckias Murindi, 27, Joseph Gakaka, 31, Vengai Mutepaire, 31, and Charles Ngwenya, 26, when they appeared before Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo.
The group's trial was due to commence yesterday but prosecutor Idah Maromo advised the court that the complainants - who are on outstanding warrants of arrest for skipping court hearings - had filed for withdrawal affidavits in the case.
"The last the court convened, complainants were issued with warrants of arrest because they were absent without notice. Efforts to locate them have been fruitless since they filed their withdrawal affidavits
It is the State's case that on April 15 last year, Zanu-PF Harare provincial executive called for meeting scheduled to begin at 10am that day.
The court heard that provincial executive members only were allowed into the meeting to discuss internal party politics.
It was alleged that Mashayamombe and his gang heard about the meeting and mobilised a group of people to go and foil the proceedings.
Mashayamombe had allegedly been advised that the meeting was organised to expel him from Zanu-PF through a vote-of-no confidence.
Source - dailynews
