Sydney Mubaiwa
MIDLANDS BUREAU CHIEF

GWERU -Provincial Magistrate for Gweru Miriam Banda granted Chirumanzu South Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) aspiring candidate Patrick Cheza and four others ZWL$50 000 bail each this afternoon.
They are back at Mvuma Magistrate’s court on July 7, 2023, for the trial. They were ordered to report once after a fortnight at Charandura Police Station in Chirumanzu district and not to interfere with State witnesses.

The five, Patrick Cheza (50), Tinashe Moyo (47), Elias Madhuviko (26), Tanyaradzwa Marimbe (23), and Alex Gamuchirai (37), plead not guilty.
The five, represented by prominent Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyer Advocate Martin Mureri, face four charges of malicious damage to property worth US$4, assault, and robbery.

The State, represented by Hellen Khosa, heard that on May 31, 2023, the five assaulted Zanu-PF’s Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) member Justice Dzaguma at Rupepwe Primary School in Chirumanzu.
They are also accused of assaulting another FAZ member Nhamo Muzembi at Shashe Primary School before robbing him of US$ 50.

At Mazvimba primary school, the five also face another allegation of damaging an Itel phone pouch worth $3.00 belonging to Philemon Madzivanyika.
At the same school, they are accused of tearing a counter book worth US$1 belonging to another FAZ member, Julius Kunodziya.
FAZ members report and operate directly from the offices of the CIO, according to statements made by CCC MP Tendai Biti in Parliament last week.