Men in fistfight over faeces

A 39-YEAR-OLD Harare man, Antony Marange, allegedly beat a man he suspected of collecting faeces from where he had relieved himself.

Marange pleaded not guilty to assaulting Tinashe Ngorima when he appeared before Mbare magistrate Shelly Zvenyika, who remanded him out of custody to tomorrow.

In denying the charge, Marange told the court that on Friday last week, he had relieved himself along the railway line near Plymouth Road in Southerton when Ngorima approached him, intending to collect his faeces.

The court further heard that Marange then became defensive and pushed Ngorima away, prompting the latter to fight back using clenched fists.

Marange said he was, in fact, the one who was beaten by Ngorima at the time when he was trying to block him from taking his excreta.

The State alleges that Marange accused Ngorima of using black magic on him and casting evil spirits on him before he went on to attack him. It is further alleged that Marange then assaulted Ngorima with clenched fists and open hands.

Ngorima sustained minor injuries from the assault and did not seek any medical treatment. Ruth Madoda appeared for the State.

Meanwhile, Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti yesterday removed Herald Assistant News Editor Takunda Maodza from remand after State witnesses, for the second time in a month, failed to come to testify in his extortion case.

Maodza was facing extortion charges after allegedly demanding money from businessman Isaac Levy in order to stop writing a story linking Levy to funding former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's People First political outfit.