Guta Ramwari church members in fistfight at court

Members of Guta RaMwari Church in Bulawayo yesterday turned the Western Commonage courtyard into a battlefield as they exchanged blows.

The fracas occurred minutes before the start of court proceedings for the trial of a church elder accused of breaching a peace order when he allegedly openly insulted his rival using unprintable words during a service on Sunday.

The warring parties reportedly exchanged harsh words with some throwing away their neckties as they readied themselves for a bruising fight.

When the newscrew arrived at the scene shortly after the spectacle, the rival camps were still exchanging harsh words although they had stopped fighting.

The drama, which is said to have lasted for about 10 minutes, ended following the intervention of court officials.

The church, founded by the late Taxwell Tayali and his wife, Mrs Laizah Tayali in 1962, has been rocked by serious infighting resulting in members dragging each other to court.

There are two factions whose members are always at each other's throats fighting for control of sermons and this has been going on since the death of the founders.

Western Commonage magistrate Mr Themba Chimiso yesterday heard how on the morning of 21 October, Mr Joel Mabhena (58), a church elder, allegedly insulted an elder in the breakaway faction, Mr Joseph Bakuru Tayali.

Prosecuting, the Miss Ruvimbo Chanduru narrated how the two church elders had a misunderstanding during service when Mr Tayali told Mr Mabhena not to allow congregants to sing while Evangelist Stephen Sibanda was still preaching.

Mabhena, of 1306 Emganwini, who is the chairman of the church services, is facing a contempt of court charge, which emanates from the fact that there is a peace order granted by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha in July permanently barring rival factions from interfering with church proceedings.

Mabhena is a member of the church's council alongside Messrs Joseph Bingo Malunga, Eliphas Nkatha, Gideon Ngwenya, Moses Mahlangu Manzini, Harold Sowa, Donald Sibanda, Jaconia Nkatha, Ferdinand Moyo and Chico Nyoni.

Mr Tayali leads a breakaway faction comprising Messrs Joel Tawadzera, Evangelist Sibanda, Francis Mwene and Calvin Chauke. The court was told that some church members would allegedly insult preachers or disturb the proceedings as they sought to be the sole speakers.

"On 27 October while at a church service at the church's headquarters in Old Lobengula at about 8.10am, there was uproar over allocation of time to preachers," said Miss Chanduru.

She said that while Evangelist Sibanda was still preaching, Mabhena wanted church members to sing but was told to stop by Mr Tayali. The court was told that Mabhena allegedly insulted Mr Tayali using unprintable words and also told him that the church was not his in front of members thereby allegedly impairing his dignity.

Mr Tayali reported the matter to the police after service leading to the arrest of Mabhena.

The State yesterday closed its case after three key witnesses gave their evidences in court and the trial continues today for the defence case.

Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie & Partners is representing Mabhena.