The six war veterans and five Zanu (PF) youths are accused of severely assaulting Chief Phineas Makore of Gutu South constituency, who they accused of refusing to allow party youths to set up camp at his home.
The court was last Tuesday told that the accused went to Makore ‘s homes armed with sticks, logs and iron bars. Upon arriving at Makores home the youths and war veterans, who were singing revolutionary songs and chanting Zanu (PF) slogans, forced entry into the house of the chief who together with his family had already retired to bed.
They brutally assaulted the chief using booted feet, logs and iron bars and only stopped beating the traditional leader after he lost consciousness.
The chief, whose family was not assaulted because they fled the homestead, was hospitalised for several days at Masvingo General Hospital receiving treatment for the serious injuries he incurred during the assault.
All eleven accused, who were ordered to return to court on September 7, pleaded not guilty to the charge of public violence.
War veterans and the youths are the main cogs of Zanu (PF)s campaign machine, waging violence and terror against the partys opponents to ensure victory for the former liberation movement.
The war veterans and youths also played a prominent role in an army directed campaign of violence that followed President Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF)s defeat in the March 2008 elections.
The violence forced then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who had been tipped to win the second round presidential vote after defeating Mugabe in the first round ballot, to withdraw from the race, citing attacks against his supporters at least 200 of whom were killed while thousands of others were displaced.
Mugabe went on to win the vote uncontested. But Mugabes victory was rejected by the international community including by some of his African allies forcing him to agree to form a power-sharing a government with his former opposition foes.
Zanu (PF) activists have rarely been arrested, let alone jailed, for attacking MDC supporters and it was not immediately clear who was behind the arrest of the activists from Masvingo or why this particular group was being targeted for prosecution.
Post published in: Politics