MDC-T official drags MDC Renewal official to court

An MDC-T official in Bulawayo has taken a member of the rival MDC Renewal team to court for threatening him with violence as tension between the warring factions spirals.

Name Ndlovu of 5471 Cowdray Park and MDC-T Luveve district vice organising secretary, claimed Hapson Ncube, 28, of the same suburb and an MDC-T member who has since defected to the MDC Renewal team, allegedly threatened to unleash a group of youths from his party to beat him up.

Ncube, a former MDC-T youth leader on Tuesday appeared before Magistrate Maphios Moyo at West Commonage magistrate courts.

Ncube through his lawyers Kucaca Phulu of Phulu and Ncube Partners pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case will resume on September 24 where State witnesses are expected to testify.

Phulu said the accused does not recall having met the complainant on the day in question or any other day where he threatened him.

"The accused denies the charge and state that this allegation is motivated by the tension that has emanated as a result of the split within the MDC-T of which the accused is now a member of the MDC Renewal team," he said.

However, during cross examination, the complainant revealed that the accused threatened to assault him for spreading malicious rumours about him and Ward 28 Councillor Collet Ndlovu.

 "Every time when I met the accused he used to taunt me that I belong to Gumbura's party in direct reference to MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai," Ndlovu said.

Ncube's defence counsel quizzed Ndlovu why it took him over a month to report the matter Ndlovu said since they used to work together he regarded him as his young brother hence the delay.

The threats got to a head leading Ndlovu to eventually file a police report.

It is the State's case that on July 2 at around 1pm at Cowdray Park bus terminus while in the company of Alton Moyo, the complainant met the accused.

After that, Ncube told the complainant that he would unleash a group of youths to assault him.

A report was made at Luveve police station leading to his arrest.