News / National
'Mangoma eyeing Tsvangirai's position,' court told
27 Feb 2014 at 06:42hrs | Views
The state media on Thursday reported that MDC-T deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma wants to be the party's next president, one of the men accused of assaulting him told a Harare magistrate yesterday.
Francis Machimbidzofa (38) said this in his application for bail before Mr Tendai Mahwe.
He is jointly accused with Enock Mukudu (31), Stefani Jahwi (36) and Samson Nerwande (41) of assault.
Nerwande is facing an additional charge of public violence for allegedly assaulting Angirayi Moyowatidi, whom he accused of supporting Mangoma.
The four have been remanded in custody to today for continuation of their bail applications.
They are represented by Mr Douglas Mwonzora and Mr Benjamin Chikowero, while Mr Tungamirai Chakurira is appearing for the State.
To support his application for bail, Mr Mwonzora led evidence from Machimbidzofa who denied assaulting Mangoma.
Mr Mwonzora produced Mangoma's statement to the police in which he said that he did not identify the people who assaulted him.
Machimbidzofa said: "If I indeed assaulted him, he would have even identified me with my totem because I was actually part of the team which campaigned for him for his post as the party's deputy treasurer-general.
"We also collect our salaries from him, hence he knows me very well," he said.
Machimbidzofa added that Mangoma wanted to be the party's president and was "fixing" him for supporting the incumbent, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, the Herald reported.
Mr Mwonzora produced a medical report for Mangoma showing his injuries are "moderate", contrary to the State's allegation that he suffered severe head injuries.
Machimbidzofa said he was a candidate for bail and not a flight risk considering he handed himself over to the police.
During cross-examination, Mr Chakurira accused Machimbidzofa of being on the run.
Machimbidzofa said he was never on the run .
It is the State's case that the quartet punched and slapped Mr Mangoma all over his body at the party's headquarters.
Mangoma bled from the nose, his shirt was torn and his spectacles worth US$300 were damaged, it is alleged.
"Accused you placed yourself beyond the reach of the police. Where were you when your co-accused James Chidhakwa was arrested and brought before the court?
"You also instructed the security guards manning Harvest House to lock the entrance therefore barring the police from getting inside to arrest you," he said.
Machimbidzofa said he was never on the run.
It is the State's case that the quartet punched and slapped Mr Mangoma all over his body at the party's headquarters.
Mangoma bled from the nose, his shirt was torn and his spectacles worth US$300 were damaged, it is alleged.
Francis Machimbidzofa (38) said this in his application for bail before Mr Tendai Mahwe.
He is jointly accused with Enock Mukudu (31), Stefani Jahwi (36) and Samson Nerwande (41) of assault.
Nerwande is facing an additional charge of public violence for allegedly assaulting Angirayi Moyowatidi, whom he accused of supporting Mangoma.
The four have been remanded in custody to today for continuation of their bail applications.
They are represented by Mr Douglas Mwonzora and Mr Benjamin Chikowero, while Mr Tungamirai Chakurira is appearing for the State.
To support his application for bail, Mr Mwonzora led evidence from Machimbidzofa who denied assaulting Mangoma.
Mr Mwonzora produced Mangoma's statement to the police in which he said that he did not identify the people who assaulted him.
Machimbidzofa said: "If I indeed assaulted him, he would have even identified me with my totem because I was actually part of the team which campaigned for him for his post as the party's deputy treasurer-general.
"We also collect our salaries from him, hence he knows me very well," he said.
Machimbidzofa added that Mangoma wanted to be the party's president and was "fixing" him for supporting the incumbent, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, the Herald reported.
Machimbidzofa said he was a candidate for bail and not a flight risk considering he handed himself over to the police.
During cross-examination, Mr Chakurira accused Machimbidzofa of being on the run.
Machimbidzofa said he was never on the run .
It is the State's case that the quartet punched and slapped Mr Mangoma all over his body at the party's headquarters.
Mangoma bled from the nose, his shirt was torn and his spectacles worth US$300 were damaged, it is alleged.
"Accused you placed yourself beyond the reach of the police. Where were you when your co-accused James Chidhakwa was arrested and brought before the court?
"You also instructed the security guards manning Harvest House to lock the entrance therefore barring the police from getting inside to arrest you," he said.
Machimbidzofa said he was never on the run.
It is the State's case that the quartet punched and slapped Mr Mangoma all over his body at the party's headquarters.
Mangoma bled from the nose, his shirt was torn and his spectacles worth US$300 were damaged, it is alleged.
Source - The Herald
