THE trial of three Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists being charged with public violence began yesterday.
Two witnesses testified when the trio appeared before Gweru magistrate, Miriam Banda.
John Kuka (38), who is CCC Mkoba constituency co-ordinating committee chairperson, Raphael Chipunza (51) and Simbarashe Kupfurutsa (31) are jointly being accused of storming into the house of William Gondo, a losing Mkoba constituency Zanu PF candidate in the March 26 by-elections.
Inside the house, they reportedly harassed Gondo’s wife.
The State alleges that on March 24 at around 4pm, the complainant Violet Gondo was at her home, number 2232 Mkoba 2 in Gweru, when the accused persons arrived aboard an unmarked Ford Ranger vehicle in the company of a group of unknown people.
It is alleged that the trio were playing political songs, campaigning for CCC Mkoba legislator Amos Chibaya when they stopped at Gondo’s house.
It is further alleged that while at the house, a group of CCC activists, including the accused, disembarked from the vehicle and threw their party fliers in Gondo’s yard.
The accused persons are alleged to have been part of a group of people who toppled Violet’s table at the gate.
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An unknown person then assaulted one Gloria Madhlula on the legs with a whip.
When Madhlula phoned Gondo over the issue, the accused persons allegedly drove off at high speed.
But under cross-examination by the defence lawyer Bonwell Balamanja of Hlabano Law Chambers, Violet and the second State witness gave inconsistent statements on the role played by the accused persons in the alleged scuffle.
Their trial continues on October 12. Prosecutor Helen Khosa indicated that the last State witness failed to attend court due to illness.
