News / National
Abducted MDC-N official found dead
10 Aug 2011 at 06:35hrs | Views
The director of elections for the MDC-N in Zhombe in the Midlands province, who was abducted by unknown assailants on Friday last week, was found dead on Monday, SW Radio Africa reported on Tuesday.
Maxwell Ncube was kidnapped at gunpoint on Friday evening just after 8pm, when he was walking home from nearby shops. MDC-N spokesman Nhlanhla Dube told SW Radio Africa that his wife heard him scream for help.
'She ran to where the screams were coming from and when she got there the gang threatened her and she took off in fright. She went looking for assistance from other villagers. They were unable to trace the people that had abducted Maxwell and immediately after that they made a report to the police,' Dube said.
Even with the help of the law-enforcement agents they failed to trace his whereabouts from Friday until Monday, when Ncube's wife was told his body had been found, half buried in a pit just 800 metres from their homestead.
'The body was discovered on Monday but inbetween the time he was abducted and Sunday, the family kept receiving calls and text messages from his phone saying that he had been abducted and would be released in two months' time,' Dube added. The family were warned against approaching the police for help.
The cause of death is still unclear but Dube's head was covered with a sack. His killers have not been caught or identified, although ZANU PF militia and war vets have been waging a campaign of murder and intimidation against MDC activists in the district for some time now. Dube may have been a particular target of his killers because of the work he did in Zhombe.
'There's obviously a lot of speculation going around, mostly because he was a member of our party responsible with working with our structures in voter education.
'One can't help wonder if this was just plain robbery and murder or this was a murder which is politically motivated. We can't commit to that at the moment, we don't have the full details but we hope the police are working on it expeditiously and looking forward to some concrete answers,' Dube said.
Meanwhile, seven MDC-T activists being held in prison facing charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View, Harare in May will be back in court on Wednesday for a remand hearing.
The group was denied bail by High Court Judge Justice Samuel Kudya on 28 July. He said the activists were still a flight risk. Those still in custody are; Councillor Tungamirai Madzokere of Ward 32 Glen View, brothers Lazarus and Stanford Maengahama, Phineas Nhatarikwa, Stanford Mangwiro, Yvonne Musarurwa and Rebecca Mafikeni.
They are part of 24 other MDC-T activists who are facing the same charges. The MDC-T insists the police officer was murdered by unknown persons at a night club in Glen View. The other 17 members were granted bail in July.
Maxwell Ncube was kidnapped at gunpoint on Friday evening just after 8pm, when he was walking home from nearby shops. MDC-N spokesman Nhlanhla Dube told SW Radio Africa that his wife heard him scream for help.
'She ran to where the screams were coming from and when she got there the gang threatened her and she took off in fright. She went looking for assistance from other villagers. They were unable to trace the people that had abducted Maxwell and immediately after that they made a report to the police,' Dube said.
Even with the help of the law-enforcement agents they failed to trace his whereabouts from Friday until Monday, when Ncube's wife was told his body had been found, half buried in a pit just 800 metres from their homestead.
'The body was discovered on Monday but inbetween the time he was abducted and Sunday, the family kept receiving calls and text messages from his phone saying that he had been abducted and would be released in two months' time,' Dube added. The family were warned against approaching the police for help.
'There's obviously a lot of speculation going around, mostly because he was a member of our party responsible with working with our structures in voter education.
'One can't help wonder if this was just plain robbery and murder or this was a murder which is politically motivated. We can't commit to that at the moment, we don't have the full details but we hope the police are working on it expeditiously and looking forward to some concrete answers,' Dube said.
Meanwhile, seven MDC-T activists being held in prison facing charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View, Harare in May will be back in court on Wednesday for a remand hearing.
The group was denied bail by High Court Judge Justice Samuel Kudya on 28 July. He said the activists were still a flight risk. Those still in custody are; Councillor Tungamirai Madzokere of Ward 32 Glen View, brothers Lazarus and Stanford Maengahama, Phineas Nhatarikwa, Stanford Mangwiro, Yvonne Musarurwa and Rebecca Mafikeni.
They are part of 24 other MDC-T activists who are facing the same charges. The MDC-T insists the police officer was murdered by unknown persons at a night club in Glen View. The other 17 members were granted bail in July.
Source - SW Radio Africa
