Khupe-faction trio plead not guilty to violence

MDC-T national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe and two other members of a faction aligned to the party’s co-deputy president Dr Thokozani Khupe have pleaded not guilty to public violence or alternatively, assault charges.

This was heard during the trio’s trial which kicked off yesterday before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.

Bhebhe (52), Witness Dube (41) - who is Dr Khupe’s personal assistant and Elliot Doctor Moyo (52) —allegedly attacked members of a rival faction within the MDC party.

They are represented by Mr Kholwani Ngwenya of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners. The magistrate remanded the matter to June 21 for continuation of trial.

Mr Ngwenya said the three instead, were victims who were attacked and their property damaged while they were attending a meeting which was convened by the acting president of the party.

“Dube was attacked while seated inside Dr Khuphe’s vehicle and Moyo was part of the participants to the meeting following proceedings. Bhebhe had begun to address the participants of the meeting,” Mr Ngwenya said.

“In the process of the throwing of stones and missiles into the office, some people were injured including Bhebhe and Dube. It later turned out that the people who were throwing stones belonged to a rival faction within the MDC-T political party.”

Mr Malusi Fuyana, one of the complainants, said he sustained a broken finger and head injuries as a result of the attack.

Mr Fuyana denied being among the people who threw stones even after a video was played in court showing a man dressed in clothes similar to his picking up something from the ground.

“Bhebhe gave an order that I should be beaten and Moyo struck me with a half brick just above the ear. I lost consciousness and woke up in hospital. If I attacked anyone why wasn’t a report filed against me?” he asked.

Prosecuting, Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza said on March 4 this year at around 12 noon, the complainants Malusi Fuyana, Edith Moyo, Sibusisiwe Masina, Sandra Moyo and Persuade Jena were part of a group of MDC-T members that had gathered at the MDC-T Bulawayo provincial offices between 2nd and 3rd Avenue along Fort Street waiting to be addressed by Dr Khuphe.

He said they were denied entry into the venue of the meeting by people who were manning the entrance.

A misunderstanding ensued during which Bhebhe allegedly ordered some youths to attack the complainants whom he accused of being aligned to Adv Chamisa’s faction and the MDC Alliance. — @MondelaC