Dembare fans accused of murdering a Bosso fan removed from remand

Six of the nine Dynamos supporters accused of murdering a Highlanders fan have been removed from remand by a magistrate here yesterday.

Emmason Msipa, 32, Honest Makaza, 28, Onisimo Maphosa, 33, George Chapindura, 43, Rodger Dietrechsen, 42, Nandi Nyoni, 31, Pretty Ndora, 27, Chama Misiwo, 29 and Margaret Mpofu, 23, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before magistrate Sibongile Msipa .

The accused, through their lawyers Lawrence Chikwekwe, Tanaka Muganyi and Russell Dzete, denied the charges of murdering Thembinkosini Hloli, 23, of Sizinda. Yesterday, the defence counsel successfully applied for refusal for further remand for six of their clients, leaving behind Msipa, Makaza and Maphosa, who the State feels have a case to answer.

The trio, who are out on bail, were remanded to November 7 upon the request of the defence counsel.

"We request a long remand so that we pursue their refusal for remand. We will make an application if our efforts are not fruitful. We will seek a postponement of one month," Muganyi told the court.

The State upheld the request.

Allegations against the accused are that on August 9 at about 6pm along 6th Avenue near Renkini Bus Terminus the now deceased was in the company of his friends suspected to be Highlanders supporters.

They all smashed a back windscreen of a Toyota Ipsum which belonged to one of the accused Chamas Misiwo before running away.

The accused all suspected to be Dynamos supporters, acting in common purpose, gave chase to the Highlanders supporters and caught up with the now deceased who was scaling a gate at Tabs Avon company, the court was told.

It is then that the accused allegedly assaulted the now deceased before stabbing him twice with a tipped object on the left and right part of the abdomen.

According to the post-mortem, Hloli died as a result of "haemorrhagic shock, stab wound, assault and perforated left iliac vessel."