PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Rudorwashe Shumba, a 38 year-old resident of Kadoma in Mashonaland
West province, had been scheduled to stand trial late last month at
Kadoma Magistrates Court after she was arrested on 28 August 2023 and
charged with assault as defined in section 89(1)(a) of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
In court, prosecutors alleged that Shumba unlawfully and intentionally
assaulted 49 year-old Joram Bhavhenda, a ZANU PF party supporter, who
is also a resident of Kadoma, on 15 August 2023 around 1: AM while
attending a funeral and after accusing him and some other ruling party
sympathisers of making it difficult for her to be free at the funeral.
Prosecutors claimed that while Bhavhenda reportedly kept quiet during
the altercation, Shumba clapped him once on the face and accused him
and other ZANU PF party supporters of being “President Mnangagwa’s
dogs”.
During the incident, prosecutors said Bhavhenda did not sustain any
visible injuries and did not seek any medical attention after the
alleged assault.
But Shumba, who was represented by Unite Saizi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights, is now a free person after the NPA dropped charges
against her following a request by Bhavhenda, who has since made peace
with the 38 year-old Kadoma resident, as they are neighbours.