VIOLENCE that broke out at MDC-T’s 2014 congress was sparked by rival youths campaigning for Douglas Mwonzora (pictured) and Nelson Chamisa who were both contesting for the secretary-general’s post, a State witness has said.
BY SILAS NKALA
Godfrey Sibanda made the claims at the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court yesterday when he was testifying in the trial of MDC-T’s Bulawayo youth chairperson Mlandu Ncube and youth member Donaldson Mabutho.
Ncube and Mabutho, represented by Kholwani Ngwenya, are alleged to have assaulted Shelton Tembo during the melee. “I and Tembo were supporting Chamisa, while Ncube and others supported Mwonzora,” Sibanda said.
“The fight arose over the people who would get into the venue and there was a serious fight. People assaulted each other, it was so serious. I cannot tell who assaulted Tembo because even myself I was lucky not to have been arrested or injured because everyone was busy fighting,” Sibanda said leaving the court gallery in stiches.
“That is when Tembo was injured but I cannot say by whom because it was dark,” he said.
Sibanda said he knew Ncube as the commander in Mwonzora’s camp.
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The State closed its case and Ngwenya submitted that he would soon apply for his client’s discharge. The matter was remanded to April 15.
Memory Takaedza prosecuted the matter.
