News / National
Tables turn against 'assaulted' journalists
10 Feb 2015 at 06:31hrs | Views
TABLES were turned against four journalists who were last week allegedly assaulted by Christ Apostolic Church founder and leader, Right Reverend Isaac Tititi Moyo and his followers as they stood accused in court yesterday of allegations of disorderly conduct.
The four journalists, Munyaradzi Musiiwa of Sunday News, Blessed Mhlanga of Newsday, ZBC TV Midlands Bureau Chief, Jacqueline Gwemende and her cameraperson Dzikamai Mandizvidza were allegedly assaulted by Rev Moyo's gang in Kwekwe and reported the assault case to the police.
But Rev Moyo's employees also made a counter report of disoderly conduct leading to the summoning of the four journalists.
They, however, failed to appear before the court after the prosecutor Salome Maunganidze said they would proceed by way of summons.
Mandizvidza is facing allegations of disorderly conduct after he filmed Rev Moyo's Border Town Complex while his co-accused took pictures of him being assaulted by the man of cloth and his employees.
According to the State outline, allegations were that on Thursday last week, the scribes went to Border Town Complex in Kwekwe seeking to get a comment from Rev Moyo around 3PM over allegations that his farm workers are terrorising Sherwood villagers.
Rev Moyo stands accused by villagers of attacking their livestock which stray into his farm with axes and machetes and sometimes killing them.
The man of cloth refused to give them his side of the story arguing that he only speaks to God before asking the journalists to leave the restaurant where he was attending a private meeting with a colleague, the court heard.
Maunganidze said while outside, Mandizvidza started filming the complex.
She said this angered Rev Moyo who stormed out of the restaurant and charged towards Mandizvidza.
Nearly 20 of Rev Moyo's followers mobbed him while some allegedly assaulted and dragged him by his belt as they tried to seize his camera which they threatened to destroy, the court heard.
Maunganidze said the followers turned to Gwemende, Musiiwa and Mhlanga who were now taking pictures of Mandizvidza being manhandled by Rev Moyo's employees.
Mhlanga was also dragged by his belt while other followers pushed him around, as they tried to wrest his iPad. They demanded that he deletes the pictures he took with the iPad.
Gwemende was also allegedly manhandled by the bouncers who were with Rev Moyo when she tried to restrain them from assaulting Mandizvidza while Musiiwa managed to escape after some followers charged towards him.
The matter was reported to the police.
The man of cloth is being accused of attacking livestock belonging to villagers from Village 12 and 13 in Sherwood resettlement farms. The livestock would allegedly have strayed onto his farm.
The villagers alleged that Rev Moyo's farm workers killed about 10 cattle that had strayed onto his farm while over 30 were struck by axes and machetes.
On Tuesday, over 500 villagers staged a peaceful demonstration at Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's farm, which is next to Rev Moyo's, petitioning the VP to evict the Reverend.
The four journalists, Munyaradzi Musiiwa of Sunday News, Blessed Mhlanga of Newsday, ZBC TV Midlands Bureau Chief, Jacqueline Gwemende and her cameraperson Dzikamai Mandizvidza were allegedly assaulted by Rev Moyo's gang in Kwekwe and reported the assault case to the police.
But Rev Moyo's employees also made a counter report of disoderly conduct leading to the summoning of the four journalists.
They, however, failed to appear before the court after the prosecutor Salome Maunganidze said they would proceed by way of summons.
Mandizvidza is facing allegations of disorderly conduct after he filmed Rev Moyo's Border Town Complex while his co-accused took pictures of him being assaulted by the man of cloth and his employees.
According to the State outline, allegations were that on Thursday last week, the scribes went to Border Town Complex in Kwekwe seeking to get a comment from Rev Moyo around 3PM over allegations that his farm workers are terrorising Sherwood villagers.
Rev Moyo stands accused by villagers of attacking their livestock which stray into his farm with axes and machetes and sometimes killing them.
The man of cloth refused to give them his side of the story arguing that he only speaks to God before asking the journalists to leave the restaurant where he was attending a private meeting with a colleague, the court heard.
Maunganidze said while outside, Mandizvidza started filming the complex.
Nearly 20 of Rev Moyo's followers mobbed him while some allegedly assaulted and dragged him by his belt as they tried to seize his camera which they threatened to destroy, the court heard.
Maunganidze said the followers turned to Gwemende, Musiiwa and Mhlanga who were now taking pictures of Mandizvidza being manhandled by Rev Moyo's employees.
Mhlanga was also dragged by his belt while other followers pushed him around, as they tried to wrest his iPad. They demanded that he deletes the pictures he took with the iPad.
Gwemende was also allegedly manhandled by the bouncers who were with Rev Moyo when she tried to restrain them from assaulting Mandizvidza while Musiiwa managed to escape after some followers charged towards him.
The matter was reported to the police.
The man of cloth is being accused of attacking livestock belonging to villagers from Village 12 and 13 in Sherwood resettlement farms. The livestock would allegedly have strayed onto his farm.
The villagers alleged that Rev Moyo's farm workers killed about 10 cattle that had strayed onto his farm while over 30 were struck by axes and machetes.
On Tuesday, over 500 villagers staged a peaceful demonstration at Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's farm, which is next to Rev Moyo's, petitioning the VP to evict the Reverend.
Source - chronicle
