Brilliant Mukaro
MIRROR REPORTER

GUTU-Magistrate Mitchel Panavanhu has set May 23, 2023, as the trial date for alleged Zanu PF Gutu terror gang leaders Josephat Sarukore (43) and Joseph Mudziwepasi (44).
The duo is jointly charged with obstructing justice and were released on US$300 bail on Friday.
Magistrate Panavanhu threw out Sarukore’s plea for the trial date to be pushed to June 6, 2023.
He argued that his lawyer was attending to another case at the High Court. Magistrate Panavanhu told him that the lawyer should have communicated to the court that he has other commitments.
Mudziwepasi, one of the main suspects fingered in the murder of the MDC Alliance activist Nyasha Zhambe in 2021, also had his plea dismissed. He argued that he needed time to look for his children’s school fees.
Circumstances are that the duo obstructed Police from arresting Sylvester Mashamba for assault on April 12, 2023, around 5 pm.
They also allegedly scolded the Police officers at Mpandawana Bus Terminus. They said they are immune to arrest because they are Zanu PF members.
Police details arrested Mashamba and Sarukore and charged them with obstructing justice.
Mashamba escaped arrest, but the Police details rearrested him.
Sarukore then allegedly told them he was immune to arrest and called them poor members of Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC), the main opposition political party.
Mashamba was bundled into the Police vehicle. Sarukore and Mudziwepasi blocked the vehicle’s exit and demanded that the officers release Mashamba.
Police officer Japhet Maseko reversed the vehicle and drove to Gutu Police Station.
The alleged terror gang leaders have allegedly led Zanu PF youth in committing numerous politically motivated crimes, particularly the assault of opposition political party members.
All the cases have been allegedly swept under the carpet, including the murder of Zhambe.