Vendors 4ED chair assailants further remanded

Three men allegedly hired to assault Sawu Jere, the national chairperson of Patriotic Vendors 4ED, have been further remanded to today.

Tonderai Gondo (42), Raymond Muringa (27) and Nqobizitha Munyanyi (45) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Themba Chimiso on Tuesday facing assault charges. The trio is out on US$100 bail each.

The latest court appearance follows the recent granting of US$100 bail to former Vendors 4ED patron Tendai Charuka, who is expected back in court on February 26.

The State alleges that the three accused assaulted Jere on January 16 in an attack believed to be linked to his exposure of the alleged diversion of funds from a US$200 000 presidential empowerment scheme.

Jere has claimed that part of the funds, which were intended for beneficiaries across the country's 10 provinces, was misused. In his statement, he further alleged that the three suspects were hired and paid US$2 500 by Charuka to attack him.

The alleged assault occurred shortly after Jere and the organisation's new secretary-general, Albi Marima, announced the expulsion of former leaders and the suspension of five Bulawayo members over the alleged misuse of the empowerment funds.

The three suspects were arrested in Bulawayo on January 16, while Charuka was subsequently brought before the courts after Jere identified him as the alleged mastermind.

In the wake of the scandal, the organisation has rebranded from Vendors 4ED to Patriotic Vendors 4ED, with the new leadership seeking to distance itself from the previous administration's alleged corruption.