Seven municipal officers up for attempted murder

SEVEN Mutare City Council security officers who allegedly butchered and left a Dangamvura man for dead after demolishing his tuck shop in a recent clean-up exercise are up for attempted murder.

Munyaradzi Mutsigiri of Chitungo, Sakubva; Harmony Murwirapachena of Chikanga Extension; Innocent Sauramba of Zororo, Sakubva; Wilbert Mutanga of Hobhouse; Taurai Muyambo of Dangamvura; John Takaendesa of Hobhouse and Gloria Magaraba of Area 3, Dangamvura; appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mrs Tilda Mazhande and spent last Wednesday night in custody after they were remanded to the next day for bail application.

They were not asked to plead and were remanded out of custody to February 22 on US$100 bail each.

Prosecuting, Mr Tom Nyatsuro said the seven were on duty last week on Monday as they demolished illegal tuck shops and vending stalls near Rujeko Primary School in Dangamvura, Mutare, when they allegedly committed the offence.

They destroyed the complainant, Mr Milton Mukura’s tuck-shop and loaded the iron sheets in a City of Mutare vehicle.

Mr Nyatsuro said Mr Mukura approached the municipal officers and asked them where they would be disposing the iron sheets, and one of them ordered him to board the council vehicle.

All the accused persons boarded the same vehicle and proceeded to City of Mutare stores offices.

On their way and near Rujeko Primary School, the court heard that Takaendesa who was driving the council vehicle stopped and the accused persons instructed Mr Mukura to disembark from the vehicle.

He, however, refused to disembark from the vehicle.

Mr Nyatsuro said Mutsigiri told Mr Mukura that he would handcuff him if he continued disobeying their instructions to disembark from the vehicle.

It is alleged that four of the accused persons disembarked from the vehicle and instructed their colleague who had remained in the vehicle to push Mr Mukura out of the vehicle.

“Two of the accused persons grabbed the complainant by his legs and threw him out of the vehicle. He fell on the ground. Two accused persons held Mr Mukura’s legs while the other held his hands as he lay on the ground. The other accused persons took turns to assault Mr Mukura on the chest and head. The accused persons jumped into the vehicle and left Mr Mukura lying on the ground, screaming for help.

“A resident, Mr Pfungwa Mukoshi heard the complainant screaming and rushed to the scene before making a police report. The complainant was referred to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital where he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit,” said Mr Nyatsuro.