THERE was drama at Mbare magistrates courts on Friday when the MDC-T Mbare constituency parliamentary aspirant, Sten Zvorwadza was nearly manhandled by Zanu PF youth leader Jim Kunaka right in front of the police and judicial officials.
BY OUR STAFF
Zvorwadza had been summoned to appear before the court on charges of public disturbances.
While standing outside engaging in a telephone conversation, he was approached by Kunaka and threatened with unspecified action for “insulting” Zanu PF, causing some commotion at the court.
After a brief exchange of words, Zvorwadza and his entourage drove out of the court’s premises to file a report at Matapi police station with Kunaka in hot pursuit.
Kunaka is suspected to be the leader of the Mbare shadowy group Chipangano which is accused of harassing Zanu PF opponents. He has however repeatedly denied knowledge of the existence of the group.
Zvorwadza’s lawyer, Denford Halimani of Wintertons Legal Practitioners told The Standard that Kunaka followed them to the police station where he caused a fracas with officers.
The officers at the station referred them back to Mbare Police.
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“We then went back to Mbare police but did not file a complaint with them. The essence though was to alert the police of the [threatening] actions and behaviour of Kunaka towards Zvorwadza,” said Halimani.
Meanwhile, Halimani said Zvorwadza’s trial failed to kick off after his docket was referred back to the police station.
“The docket was referred back to the police for them to clarify the charges and other issues related to whether the owners of the premises were offended by Zvorwadza putting up the posters on the day in question,” said Halimani.
The public prosecutor apparently referred the docket back to Matapi police saying that one Plaxedes Jaravaza was not the right person to be the complainant, as the owners of the building were the City of Harare.
Zvorwadza was arrested in January this year at Mbare Matapi police station as he sought to file a complaint against the Chipangano group.
Last week he was hauled before the courts for violating Section 153 (1) of the Electoral Act.
He was putting up campaign posters in favour of a “Yes” vote for the referendum before the youths pounced on him and also attacked a BBC news crew.
ZVORWADZA IS JUST A CLOWN — KUNAKA
Kunaka told The Standard that his action towards Zvorwadza was spurred by his “responsibility as a citizen of Zimbabwe to ensure nobody undermines the party or President Mugabe’s authority.” “I don’t have time to threaten small people like him [Zvorwadza]. To me, he is just a clown that I can slap. “He is the one causing commotion and political violence in Mbare yet he doesn’t even stay there,” he said.
