Chitungwiza magistrate, Patience Ururu-Madondo found the group guilty of a combination of torture, assault and theft, all committed during the volatile period that succeeded the disputed poll.?? They are Carter Matengambiri, Tabeth Mubaiwa, Oncemore Matangira, David Makina and Zacharia Moyo. Three others were acquitted.??Twenty people were listed as complainants in the matter.??
According to the state, all the accused persons were Zanu (PF) supporters who staged a terror campaign around neighbouring villages in the farming area accusing their victims of supporting the then opposition MDC party.?? While torturing and assaulting the accused, they would command them to sing MDC songs while beating them up with logs and sticks.??They would also visit the complainants at their homes, making random searches looking for MDC regalia and party cards.??
They would further demand back the farm inputs issued under the RBZ agricultural mechanisation scheme from those they suspected to have been supporters of MDC saying the inputs were not supposed to benefit non-Zanu (PF) people.??MDC which lost 200 of its supporters in the 2008 political violence has always complained of the lack of prosecution of those who were involved.
Post published in: News