Violet Gonda |For years Zimbabwe’s former freedom fighters brought misery to the citizens, and were among the largest recipients of ZANU PF patronage. In a major twist, the war veterans’ association recently issued a statement denouncing President Robert Mugabe accusing him of having dictatorial tendencies and of destroying the country. The ZANU PF leadership retaliated ordering the arrest and suspension of several senior war veterans from the party. The latest stance by the war veterans has baffled many. Why has it taken the former freedom fighters so long to stand with the people? Have they really come to their senses or is the reason they are now ‘fighting’ the system the succession issue in ZANU PF rather than the national interest? Do they appreciate what Zimbabweans have been going through and will they apologise for the role they played in destroying the country? Journalist Violet Gonda brings you an in-depth interview with a leader of the  war veterans Douglas Mahiya, who was arrested last month following criticism of Mugabe.
Violet Gonda: Hello and welcome to the program Hot Seat, my name is Violet Gonda. In our 2^nd  episode of this new series we talk to Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesman Douglas Mahiya, who was arrested last week following the release of a damning communiqué which described President Robert Mugabe as a genocidal dictator and urged the 92 year old leader to leave office.
Thanks for joining us Mr. Mahiya. Now the war vets  association has been a major voting block for the ruling party but now you are being accused of undermining the authority of president Mugabe.. what can you say about this?
Douglas Mahiya: Violet you need to understand that the prefix-Cde – has been abused in this country by some people who have their own political ambitions. So some of the things that have been registered in the minds of the people and covered in the papers – that are not progressive were not committed by war veterans but by people who we see today protecting those interests that are negative to society. For example, the issue of corruption, the issues of bad governance. We have realized it is not proper for these people to call themselves comrades because they commit crimes against people in the name of comrades. So it’s not the real war veterans who did all those things that are registered by the people.
Gonda: So if that was the case why has it taken the  war veterans association  all this time to come out and stand with the people? Especially during the 2008 violence
Mahiya: Yes, I am happy that you mentioned the 2008 violence and this violence is attributed to the people who wanted to be called war veterans. They did a lot of atrocities in our name but they were not the real fighters. Yes it is true that we have taken so long (to speak out) but you have to understand Violet that ours was a revolution. It was a turning-about of a circle, to turn things around for the benefit of the people and what we did not have was  the political power, which we then got in 1980. And we needed to do these things gradually and couldn’t make changes one time. So it has taken a lot of time and we expected the people with power to deliver. But to date we discover that not much has been done.
Gonda: But Mr. Mahiya this sound hard to believe especially as the people behind these atrocities were said to be war veterans – such as the violence seen in the commercial farms and during election time, and also which people are you really talking about when you say they were not real war veterans?
Mahiya:  Ahh, let me take you back to the liberations struggle. There were people known as vana Mujiba and Chimbwidos. Those people behind the backs of the war veterans could do certain things that were contrary to the operations and regulations of the liberation struggle but still they called themselves war veterans. Let me also take you to the contemporary issue, so that you understand. The corrupt leadership in the government. The ZANU PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has got a 50-roomed house and he calls himself a Comrade. If someone does not know Kasukuwere he will think those things are being done by war veterans. So people must understand this. Secondly, I don’t think it is important to dwell on the past – it is important to dwell on the future so that at the end of the day people will be able to achieve what they had long wanted to achieve.
GONDA: I think some people will disagree with you. It is important to talk about the past because we learn from this and not  be repeated in the future. There are also calls from many, like exiled judge of the High Court Justice Benjamin Paradza, who say you need to ‘publicly and sincerely apologise for the shameful roles your group  played in bringing misery to Zimbabweans over the years.’ What’s your response to this?
Mahiya: Well if people are more concerned about an apology than a progressive position that will save our people then that is quite different. As long as I am convinced that these things were done by people who were not war vets, or who went about calling themselves war veterans – such an apology will be done simply to be together with the masses. Because we know the majority of the masses and the international community in general are more important to us than the current leadership in the country.
Gonda: Would you say Mugabe or Emmerson Mnangagwa and Joyce Mujuru who have been part of this system are not war veterans?
Mahiya: Well Violet if you are talking about what those people did then those people are high profile members of the party and whatever they did against the people it is not …  or rather the war veterans is not answerable because they are not members of the association at all. Not all war veterans are members of the War Veterans Association. Those have been working and using the government and party apparatus, which we are not responsible of.
Gonda: There is a view that the reason you are now fighting the system is not because there is a governance problem but the fight is over succession… that the war vets’ common agenda about “Mugabe must go” is borne out of selfish interests and not out of national interests.
Mahiya: People must here it from the horse’s mouth. Let me give you this background. I am a son of a mother . I am a son of a peasant farmer. That is where I came from and since I went and came back nothing has changed in terms of their social, economic and political situation.
We are sons and daughters of society. Of the ordinary man that waged a struggle against the Smith regime and managed to grab political power which we thought was going to be used progressively for the benefit of that society and that did not happen. So the people who committed anything against society for the period you were talking about and the high profile people you were talking about – of course they are called comrades and they call themselves comrades but those people were not members of the association. They are members of the government.
Gonda: But Mr. Mahiya that is not what I am asking. How can you convince the masses who feel you are not there because you feel Zimbabweans are suffering but because of the succession issues in the ruling party?
Mahiya: People have to understand it when I say there is no better expression that I can give rather than explain exactly how we feel about it, exactly how we have analysed the situation, and identify the areas that are not proper for good governance. We cannot invent new expressions or words to be able to express.
Gonda: There is a general sentiment that you are aggrieved because the ZANU PF youths were given stands … that your sudden anti-Mugabe reaction is a response to the fact that you felt you were being sidelined in favour of the youths and the women?
Mahiya: War veterans are self reliant. We are against that idea. We are not worried about those residential stands because it’s not the end of the world. We are not worried about that but what we are worried about in that exercise – if ever the government wanted to do,  it was to make sure that land was made available and given to the local authorities for distribution through a legal waiting-list with the local government. But the government has decided to do it another way which we think is not progressive and is an example of bad governance. We are not worried about those stands and we do not need them.
Gonda: How true is that statement really, that you are self reliant.  When your critics say you are the largest recipients of ZANU PF patronage … that you have been given preferential treatment over the years – such as access to land and disability allowances.
Mahiya: For your own information when the land issue was done, it is true that the war veterans got land but that land as we speak is being withdrawn from the war veterans. So you must understand that the land imbalance that was there a long time ago was in the process of being addressed and in that process the masses and the war veterans were the target group. War vets also needed to make use of the land and  that was the reason that we took up arms to fight the oppressors.
Gonda: When you say the land is being taken away from your members, are you saying you have not benefitted from the land reform program?
Mahiya: I wish you had enough resources, my dear to come to Zimbabwe and make an assessment of what is happening. You would discover that not many war veterans benefitted as we anticipated.
Gonda: Can you give us figures. How many of you are there and how many were given land?
Mahiya: Of course I cannot give you the numbers right now but you can believe it from that statement  – that is the real position on the ground.
Gonda: In hindsight would it not have been better to advocate for a more conscious effort, such as fighting for a veterans hospital or veterans pension fund
Mahiya: ummmm the hospital issue and other benefits are issues that are enshrined in the war veterans’ Act or war veterans provisions. So that one is being implemented by government. However, this does not necessary mean that the hospitals will only be for war veterans alone but will benefit the society.
Gonda: Why is the government taking the land from the war veterans right now?
Mahiya: It’s because of the brand new character in ZANU PF – the Generation 40(G40), which is a new bad in that party. They don’t want to see the war veterans. They are the people spearheading this.
Gonda: There is a question that keeps coming up on the issue of sustenance… that is the issue of fees for war vets’ children still going to school…I understand the cash strapped government has to find at least $6million dollars a term to pay towards fees for war vets children… do u have figures of school kids that still need to be sustained?
Mahiya: You have to also understand that the war veterans as an association is a very poor organization and does not have the apparatus to capture information for information precision. But the children of war veterans that are school going today are the ones benefiting from the little amounts from the cash strapped government and this has only been done this year. All the other things have not been paid. It is supposed to be every term but there is no money for that and there is no money for treatment or for the burials. Nothing has been happening for a very long time now.

Zambian police have arrested 133 people protesting against the re-election of President Edgar Lungu after his main opponent Hakainde Hichilema said the vote was rigged, a senior police officer said.
Lungu, leader of the Patriotic Front (PF), won 50.35 percent of the vote, against 47.67 percent for Hichilema, of the United Party for National Development (UPND), according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
The opposition party quickly rejected that result, saying that the electoral commission had colluded to rig the result in favour of Lungu.
“They targeted perceived supporters of the ruling party, destroying their property,”  Godwin Phiri, a Southern province police chief, told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday, referring to those arrested.
“It is like this was well planned and they were just waiting for the winner to be declared. Calm has now returned following the arrests.”
Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND) said it will appeal the result at the Constitutional Court, accusing election officials of fraud during the count which began after voting ended last Thursday.
“The PF has effected a coup on Zambia’s democratic process,” Hichilema said in a statement late on Monday.
“We submitted evidence before the declaration of the results regarding the gross irregularities that have taken place. That is why we will not accept the result.”

Terrence Mawawa Masvingo As the factional infighting in Zanu PF gets worse, suspended members have vowed to forge ahead with preparations for the Bikita West Constituency primary election.
The race for the party’s primaries has turned ugly with Elias Musakwa, Everson Machaya, Wellington Mutisi and Tichaona Mandebvu, all members of the Team Lacoste camp said to be backing Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, falling by the wayside.
Zanu PF National Commissar Savior Kasukuwere and First Lady Grace Mugabe and appointed provincial chairperson Amasa Nhenjana are determined to block suspected Mnangagwa sympathisers from participating in the primary election. ZimEye.com can reveal the suspended members are busy campaigning ahead of the primary election. One of the suspended members, Mutisi was spotted driving a vehicle with campaign posters pasted on it. Asked about the said suspension Mutisi indicated he was unfazed by the decision. “I cannot say much at the moment but as you can see, I am busy campaigning for the primaries,” he said.
A party insider also said:”It is going to be a real battle because the members were suspended in an unfair manner. We will see what Kasukuwere and his sympathisers will do.The decision to suspend the aspiring candidates was sanctioned by individuals. It was Nhenjana and Kasukuwere who rejected the four’s papers,” said a senior provincial member. The city fell vacant after former MP Munyaradzi Kereke was sentenced to 14 years in prison for rape.
 

Bulawayo – A man allegedly raped his friend’s sister on a day he had taken her on their first date.
It is reported that Zenzo Nondo (25) from Nketa, asked permission from his friend to take her young sister who is 17, to town. However, It is alleged the girl was not keen to go but her sister insisted, that she should go so as to bring her some fruits.
Nondo appeared in court before Western Commonage Migistrate Ms Nyaradzo Ringisayi and  was not asked to plead to a charge of rape. He was remanded in custody to August 26.
Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said Nondo first went to town with the girl and at around 2PM, he took her to his house in Nketa 8 suburb.
“Accused told complainant he wanted to show her where he lives so that she would visit him some time. When they got to his house, accused proposed love to complainant but she refused. He started fondling complainant’s breasts. He lifted her from a couch where they were sitting and lay her on his bed. He wore a condom and raped her once,” said Mr Mageza.
The complainant reported the matter to one of her sisters five days later leading to Nondo’s arrest.
In a statement, the teenager said Nondo first proposed love to her when they were having lunch in town.
“He took me to a restaurant where he bought rice for me and sadza for himself. He told me that he loved me but I turned down his offer. We then went to a china shop where he bought me pumps, secret socks and panties,” reads her statement.
She said when they got to Nondo’s house, he raped her.
“I tried to push him away when he started fondling my breasts but he lifted me from the couch and laid me on his bed. I did not scream when he raped me although I was trying to push him away from me. He then took me home to Tshabalala and left me by my gate. I told my older sister about the ordeal five days later.”

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has reinstated eight of the 19 investigation officers it recently suspended for alleged corruption, insubordination and divulging the organisation’s secrets.
The remaining 11 officers, who all face similar charges, are still under investigation.
The eight, who were suspended for three months, were reinstated after serving only six days of their suspension, raising suspicions that senior managers at the anti-graft body could be vicitimising the workers.
ZACC employees argue that the victimisation emanates from their pursuit of a labour case in which they won an arbitral award of $1,5 million for outstanding allowances and benefits.
They also accuse some managers, led by acting secretary Mr Silas Pondo, of attempting to block the investigation of some high profile cases.
Some of the senior executives at the commission are alleged to be involved in the high profile cases. ZACC chairperson Dr Job Whabira confirmed the reinstatement of the eight officers in letters dated August 5.
“Following your suspension from duty on the 28th of July and subsequent investigations carried out by the Commission, it has been established that you have no case to answer with regard to the allegations,” reads the letter.
“Please be advised that you are required to resume duty with immediate effect.
“You have to notify the human resources office on your resumption of duty.”
ZACC spokesperson Ms Phyllis Chikundura yesterday said those reinstated were Matthew Sithole, Charles Sepe, Esnath Katsamba, Rufaro Kunyenda, Soneni Chavizha, Berstern Matope, Masimba Victor and Forbes Mupotsa.
“The others from the list of those suspended are still under investigation,” she said.
All the suspended workers are on salary.
“Sources yesterday raised queries at the pace and manner in which the suspensions and reinstatements were being handled.
“In the July 28 letter the Commission sent to the workers, the relationship between the two parties was branded as untenable and one wonders how this unsound relationship had changed overnight, inside six days when these reinstatement letters were written,” said the source.
“This is clear evidence that the allegations are unfounded and they simply want to intimidate the workers to withdraw their court case and someone is blocking something here.
“Remember those who indicated that they were not pursuing the court case were spared from suspension.
“The eight have been reinstated without any investigation or hearing as required by the law and one wonders what the reasons for their suspension were in the first place.”
The source said it was surprising that the anti-graft body managers wanted to revive charges which some workers were cleared of by the previous commission years back.
The July 28 suspensions came two days after the affected employees signed letters confirming to management that they were pursuing the $1,5 million arbitral award they won at the Labour Court in 2014.
ZACC acting secretary Mr Pondo in a letter to the workers dated July 26, 2016 demanded that they indicate whether or not they would pursue the labour case.
“It is deemed necessary that you indicate whether you indeed instructed the lawyers to write responding to the memo which was directed to yourself seeking to know your position regarding the matter,” read the letter.
“You are therefore, still required to show your position on the items provided below and then sign on the space provided.”
Six investigating officers who indicated that they were not pursuing the matter were spared while the 19 got suspended.
The suspended investigating officers’ lawyers, Joel Mambara and Partners had written to Mr Pondo telling him that the labour case could not be withdrawn.
Said the lawyers: “We advise that our clients are still pursuing this matter. In fact we are awaiting a hearing date for the quantification application given that our efforts to engage you have been fruitless.
“We also note with concern that you have ejected our clients from their offices and withdrawn the vehicles they were using. Be rest assured that no threats or intimidation of any sort will deter our clients from pursuing what is lawfully theirs.”
Some managers are also alleged to be always demanding documents of high profile cases the investigating officers would be working on.- state media

A woman from Nkayi allegedly tried to kill seven members of the same family by poisoning their 200- litre water drum. The family later suffered severe diarrhoea after drinking the water that was poisoned by the woman’s 12-year-old nephew who she had sent to perform the dirty job.
Silibaziso Ncube (39) is facing seven counts of attempted murder and is set to appear at the regional court in Bulawayo for trial.
Prosecutors allege that Ncube hatched a plan to kill her neighbours and took umligazigani (an indigenous tree) seeds which she gave to her nephew.
Reasons why she attempted to kill her neighbours were not stated in court papers.

“On November 13 last year, Ncube gave her nephew two seeds and some powder wrapped in a plastic paper. She told him to put the seeds and powder in the 200-litre drum used to keep drinking water for their neighbours which was at Jilly Mahlangu’s homestead,” reads the State outline.
“The boy kept the poison until the next day as instructed by his aunt. On the following day around 2PM, the boy proceeded to Mahlangu’s homestead and gained entry through an open space at the corner of the yard.”
It is alleged that the boy put the poison in the 200-litre drum full of water which was outside the kitchen hut.
“Two of the family members saw the shoe print which they traced and were led to the boy’s home. After inquiring, they were told the shoe belonged to Ncube’s nephew,” said the State outline.
Prosecutors allege that the boy was called to Mahlangu’s homestead and confessed that he had entered the homestead.
Investigations led to Ncube’s arrest.— @thamamoe. – state media

Project developer Mr Jimayi Muduvuri said plans were afoot to invite the First Lady to commission the 10 units, which would be handed over to her on the day.
“According to our work plan, the houses should be completed before end of September and we want them to be commissioned by the First Lady before we hand them over to her. They will be hers to do whatever she deems fit,” he said.
The First Lady has been given 20 stands from the project and partners came on board to complement the developer in building the 10 model houses.
The core houses will include a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and a toilet.
The scheme will offer flexible payment terms of up to three years with people paying as little as $80 per month after meeting the cost of the land which has been pegged at around $5 000.
Labour and material costs will drive the total cost to around $9 000.
Mr Muduvuri said the project received overwhelming response from civil servants.
“People will walk into a completed house if they agree to have us do it for them so that the money they were using to pay rentals goes towards finishing their house,” he said.
Speaking at the commissioning of earthmoving equipment and ground breaking ceremony of the housing scheme recently, the First Lady said the success of the Government’s economic blueprint, Zim-Asset, lay solely in the hands of Zimbabweans.
She said it was through good infrastructure that the country would attract investors.- state media

State Media-Schools have been ordered to cancel entrance tests for 2017 Form One pupils and wait for Grade Seven public examination results to enrol.

 
Staff Reporter| A miner at controversial Vumbachikwe Gold Mine in Gwanda this morning died after falling over 180 metres down a mine shaft in a freak accident.
The man who has since been identified is reported to have gone down the shaft when a cage he was using to go down the shaft developed a technical fault.
Workers at the mine blamed mine management for recklessness due to it’s continued resistance to service its equipment.
In recent media exposures workers at the mine claimed that the new management is neglecting the mine as they are not planting funds back into the operations of the mine.
Workers at the mine have gone for almost two years without salaries.

Terrence Mawawa, Zaka| An insensitive Zaka village head has ordered CARE Zimbabwe officials to stop distributing food aid in his area because they were promoting laziness.
Despite the critical shortage of food in the area, Gwanya village head Fidelis Gwanya shocked officials from the relief organisation and villagers when he said relief and aid agencies were promoting laziness such that they must stop their operations. Gwanya, a known Zanu PF activist, made the shocking remarks during a community meeting held at Jerera Growth Point last week. The objective of the meeting was to discuss ways of eradicating poverty in the community.
“People must implement alternative farming methods like zero tillage. I have told my people to work hard such that they do not depend on getting relief. Donor organisations are promoting laziness so their efforts are not necessary. As a matter of fact, we do not need their services here so we will make sure they stop their operations so people can learn how to fend for themselves without relying on donors. Some people never produce enough food for themselves because they know CARE will provide. Those who work hard will not starve,” said Gwanya. Officials from the relief organisation however indicated their objective was to encourage self sufficiency.
Angry villagers described Gwanya’s comments as shocking and reckless. “How can Gwanya blame CARE Zimbabwe for distributing food aid? His comments reflects that he is insensitive to the plight of the suffering villagers,” said a local villager.

Terrence Mawawa, Chivi| The son of an Apostolic Faith Mission pastor stationed at Ngundu Business Centre died last week after he lost control of the Honda Fit Vehicle he was driving.
It has emerged Preacher Kwakwa, the pastor’s son was driving under the influence of alcohol when he lost control of the Honda Fit vehicle. The accident happened at Museva Business Centre, seven kilometres from Ngundu last Saturday around midday. Sources told ZimEye.com, Preacher borrowed the vehicle from a church mate. He was seen drinking beer before the fatal crash happened.
Eyewitnesses said the accident happened while Preacher had his seat belt unfastened. When he tried to avoid an abnormal load vehicle, he lost control of the car and it swerved dangerously and he crushed. The late pastor’s son was in the company of his girlfriend and a friend. They both escaped unhurt. “The accident happened when the driver saw an abnormal load truck. As he tried to avoid the truck, the car swerved dangerously resulting in his death.We understand the driver was drinking beer before the fatal accident happened.There was nothing we could do to help him because he was seriously injured .To our surprise the two people he was travelling with both escaped unhurt,” said an eyewitness.
Masvingo Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident.

A Harare man who impersonated Deputy Commissioner-General Innocent Matibiri and defrauded Blue Ribbon Foods Limited of maize-meal and wheat bran worth $8 000 has been jailed for one year.

A 37-year-old man allegedly sodomised and raped his 14-year-old daughter in the presence of her young sibling after offering to share blankets because of the cold weather.
The father was entrusted with the custody of the children as the mother had travelled to South Africa. He appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe on Friday charged with two counts of rape.
He was remanded in custody to August 25 and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court. Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that the children were left in the custody of their father sometime in April this year.
During the first days of his wife’s absence the man slept in the bedroom while his daughters slept in the kitchen. It is alleged that sometime in July the man came back from work and found his daughters already asleep in the kitchen.
After eating his dinner, he allegedly sneaked into his daughter’s blankets and started watching television. He allegedly started fondling the teenager’s breast and she woke up and ordered him to stop it.
It is alleged the accused continued but later stopped and went to his bedroom. In July the accused invited his daughters to join him in the bedroom and share blankets because it was cold.
The children complied and it is alleged that in the first two days their father made the younger child sleep in the middle but on the third day the younger child wetted the bed and the father ordered the siblings to swap sleeping positions.
The teenager was now in the middle and around midnight the same night the accused started fondling his 14-year-old daughter’s breasts.
It is alleged that she woke up and found her father naked. She asked why he was caressing her, the father remained silent and they went back to sleep, the court heard.
The following day the teenager was awakened by her father who was caressing her and he ordered her to be silent. The father undressed the teenager and sodomised her.
It is alleged they went back to sleep but the father woke up again and raped her.
He allegedly told his daughter not to tell anyone of the sexual assault. It is alleged the teenager later phoned her mother and informed her of her ordeal. The mother came back from South Africa and reported the matter to the police.
The teenager was sent for medical examination and the affidavit will be produced in court as an exhibit.

The United Nations has attacked the Itai Dzamara family following its involving of the missing activist’s children for protest against ZRP cops.
In a statement, UNICEF in Zimbabwe said it deplores the use of children in the demonstrations that took place in Harare on Wednesday.
“Children are not political and should be sheltered at all times from situations that expose them to the risk of harm or violence,” the body said.
Its statement continued, “it is everybody’s duty to ensure that children are not used to advance a particular political cause. In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child should override all other considerations.”

Press Statement |
 The United Kingdom through its Department for International Development (DFID) has donated essential medicines to support health care services in Zimbabwe. The medicines will be administered through the UNICEF managed Health Development Fund (HDF), and complements wider UK aid support to the health sector through the HDF.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa, has welcomed the medicines and said that they will immediately be dispatched to health institutions and facilities throughout the country through the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm).
“Essential medicines are critical to the optimal functioning of our health system,” he said. “We currently have a gap in availability of medicines which is impacting negatively on patients and health professionals. This donation is well received and will go a long way to assisting us in closing this gap.”
The package includes antibiotics for the treatment of common diseases and medicines for the treatment of cancer and asthma.
Ms Annabel Gerry, Head of DFID Zimbabwe commented “Over the last five years, maternal and new born child health indicators have shown positive trends supported by UK aid. I am pleased that these essential medicines will further contribute to treating sickness, preventing premature death, and improving the quality of life for people all over the country”.

Bulawayo| Three women from Magwegwe North have been arrested for allegedly assaulting their neighbour on suspicion that she was dating a husband to one of them.
During the attack that left Nomcebo (21) injured, one of the suspects recorded the whole drama. They allegedly assaulted her with fists together with an accomplice who is at large, a court heard yesterday.
In an unusual scenario, yesterday two of the women appeared in the dock carrying their babies. Sibongisiwe Moyo (25), Sicelo Moyo (19) and Samantha Dungeni (21) are facing assault and indecent assault charges.
Sibongisiswe pleaded guilty to both charges. The other two women pleaded guilty to assault but denied that they stripped Maphosa and recorded a video of the scene. Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu remanded the trio out of custody to Monday.

Prosecuting, Ms Magret Takawira, said the trio went to Maphosa’s house and dragged her outside her yard. “The three accused persons, in company of one more who is still at large, assaulted the complainant alleging that she was having an affair with one of the accused’s husband. They hit her with fists all over the body and she sustained injuries,” said Ms Takawira.
“Accused persons stripped complainant of her clothes chanting that she is a prostitute. One of them recorded a video of the scene.” – state media

THE three members of the Johane Masowe Echishanu, accused of suffocating six children to death during a baptism ceremony in Sadza early June this year, will appear in Court next Tuesday.
They have been asked to file affidavits making an undertaking they will desist from church activities involving baptising children if they entertain chances of being released on bail.
The trio comprised of self-proclaimed prophetess Maud (31), Naome Dzvuke (34) and Jane Ruvinga (22), appeared before Harare High Court judge, Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa, who ordered them “to depose affidavits undertaking that they will desist from church activities involving baptising children”.
In her bail application filed at the High Court, Ruvinga denied intending to kill the children, saying she led the group to baptise the kids including her own with a view of cleansing them of evil spirits and genuinely believed the children needed protection from evil spirits.
“The children were all related to her and she was shocked when she realised that they had passed on and did not know what to do, thereafter. She panicked and walked away from the scene, she never intended to flee from anyone or the situation, but got confused after realising the children were dead,” her lawyers Muringani, Mandikumba and Partners said.
In her affidavit, Naome said she did not participate in the baptism, but she followed to the river, after being told that her sister, Maud, had taken her one-year old son for the ceremony in her absence.
Her lawyers said: “She (Naome) was forced to go to the pool by her sister Maud, where her sister baptised the children, including her son, who died in the process. She did not have a hand in the baptism that caused the deaths, but was only present to take her son, who had been taken away by her sister in her absence.”
The women’s co-accused, a 17-year old boy, who was also accused of suffocating the children, was last month granted $30 bail pending trial and released into the custody of his father.
According to State papers, on the morning of June 7, Maud, Naome, Ruvinga and the teenager allegedly connived to take the children for cleansing in Mutorahuku stream at Muriwo Village, where Chido (11), Patience (9), Shamiso (4) and Mercy Pfumbidza (2) and Tafadzwa (5) and Tinotenda Dzvuke (3) all perished during the baptism process. Newsday

In a story fit for a thriller movie Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) member Ngqabutho Masuku (31) of Mzilikazi suburb tortured and raped an 18 year old girl after detaining her for two hours in his bedroom.
He raped the complainant twice during which he tortured her and took pictures of her private parts.
THE High Court has dismissed an appeal against conviction and sentence by Ncube who is serving a 12-year jail term for torturing the girl and raping her before taking pictures of her private parts.
The rapist and his victim were both members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
They were ex-lovers and the woman had earlier terminated the affair after discovering pictures of a nude woman in Masuku’s phone.
Masuku was last year convicted of rape and sentenced to 16 years in jail of which four years were conditionally suspended for five years.
Through his lawyer, Mr Prince Butshe-Dube of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers, Masuku filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court challenging his conviction and sentence citing the state as the respondent.
He said there was misdirection on the part of the lower court, arguing that he had consensual sex with his church mate who was also his ex-girlfriend.
Masuku, in his grounds of appeal, claimed that he was seduced by ex-girlfriend before she lured him to his bedroom where they had sex.
In his ruling, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi said the lower court meticulously dealt with the evidence and correctly accepted the state case.
The judge described Masuku as an unrepentant sexual pervert and treacherous sadist who took advantage of a defenceless and vulnerable victim.

Terrence Mawawa | Gweru A night outing ended in tragedy for a Zimbabwe Republic Police detective, after he was bashed by a sex worker at a local club. Chrispen Musiiwa, a police officer stationed at CID Gweru was attacked by the sex worker at Salaco Night Club while drinking beer with the lady.
The woman, Tabeth Tshabalala(22) of 33 Ndema Road appeared before Magistrate Florence Nago last week facing assault charges. At a time millions of Zimbabweans are struggling with socio-economic challenges, the ZRP cop’s decision to spend cash with the sex worker backfired.
The incident happened on July 20 at the night club when the two were drinking beer. Under unclear circumstances Tshabalala who was holding an empty beer bottle struck Musiiwa once on the forehead.
Musiiwa bled profusely after the attack. Tshabala did not disclose the reason for hitting Musiiwa with the empty bottle. It is speculated the two could have had an altercation over cash. Tshabalala was sentenced to six months in prison and three months were suspended for five years on condition she does not commit a similar offence. The other three months were suspended on condition that she performs community service. Efforts to get a comment on what led to the assault -from Musiiwa were fruitless.

Staff Reporter | A Greyhound bus driver is reported to have been crushed to death under the bus while attending to a puncture.
The driver identified by friends on site as Mr Bongani Mpofu of Bulawayo was crushed by the bus while under the bus when a jack failed and brought the bus down on him.
A border official said the man was later pulled out by other travellers and taken to Beitbridge district hospital where he died upon admission.
Details of the accident are still sketchy and more information will be made available as it comes through.

In a bizarre story a Pakistan couple whose three-year-old daughter was allegedly raped by their Zimbabwean driver has fled the country for fear of appearing in court which they said is against their religion.
The accused, Kudakwashe Mudede (26) was yesterday removed from remand after State indicated that the complainant had gone AWOL.The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that the complainant cannot come to testify because the family fled to Pakistan after indicating that it was against their religion to come to court.

Two people were killed on the spot yesterday, while 10 others were injured when three vehicles including an ambulance were involved in a pile up accident on the 37 kilometre peg along the Harare – Bindura Road.
According to witnesses, a Honda Fit that was travelling from Mazowe to Harare burst its front tyre and rammed into a road barricade at Mazowe Dam before swerving back onto the road where it collided with a Mazda 323 that failed to brake on time.At the same time an ambulance that was following behind ferrying patients from Madziva to Harare also rammed into the two vehicles.
It was not clear by late yesterday night whether the deceased were from the ambulance or the two vehicles.
Some of the injured were taken to Concession Hospital, while others were conveyed to Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Police Spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi, confirmed the accident which occurred at Mazowe Dam.
“Although details are still sketchy at the moment, I can confirm that the accident occurred along the Harare-Bindura Road.
“Three vehicles were involved, a Honda Fit, a Mazda 323 and an ambulance. The condition of the injured are yet to be confirmed,” he said.
The accident comes after 13 people were killed, while 67 others were injured in 101 road traffic accidents that were recorded countrywide during the just-ended Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day Holidays.
Eight of the accidents were fatal.
During the corresponding period last year, 13 people were also killed, while 51 others were injured in 123 road accidents.