Gweru City Council commissioner, Mark Choga was on Monday convicted by a local magistrate’s court for assaulting a resident during a meeting which had been called this year for residents by the caretaker administration.
This is after Choga, who is Commissioner in charge of finance, had assaulted Frank Muzorera all over the body resulting in the latter sustaining injuries on the neck and shoulder.
The assault emanated from a disagreement between the two over the implementation of a government audit report and allowances paid to commissioners who were imposed on residents at the expense of the MDC-T led elected council by Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
The court heard that on February 18 this year, Muzorera and Choga attended a meeting between residents and commissioners at the mayor’s parlour.
“During the course of the meeting the complainant asked the accused person how much they (commissioners) earn as their allowances and whythey were not implementing the outcome of the audit report,” according to state papers.
“The accused person refused to answer the questions posed by the complainant and a misunderstanding arose and the accused proceeded to where the complainant was and hit him from behind once on the shoulder and neck.”
The court further heard that Muzorera fell down and Choga kicked him all over the body with booted foot.
Residents and municipal police however restrained Choga from further assaulting Muzorera.
A report was made to the police leading to Choga’s arrest.
For the offence, Gweru magistrate Florence Nago fined Choga $150 or a three month in jail term if he defaulted on paying the amount.
Nago said Choga was a first offender and needed to be given a chance to reform without necessarily getting a custodial sentence.
As Choga heard his fate, a group of residents demonstrated outside the courts after Choga was convicted.
They said they did not want boxers for city fathers. Radio Vop