SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
Downtown Chegutu
By Tichaona Sibanda SW Radio Africa 8 July 2014
The MDC-T deputy Mayor of Chegutu has been arrested following an alleged physical assault on a female member of the party.
Edias Ticharwa, together with the Chegutu West chairman Gift Konjana and Benjamin Chacha, a portfolio secretary, were arrested on Monday after an allegation of assault was made to the police.
The assault is alleged to have taken place on Sunday during a district executive committee meeting in Chegutu. According to our correspondent Lionel saungweme, the complainant is Eunice Jonhera, a party member who has since rebelled and joined the renewal camp.
Saungweme said Jonhera’s presence at the meeting did not go down well with other members, who believed she was there to spy on them. When she refused to leave after being politely asked to do so, she was then physically removed.
She then made a report to the police that she had been assaulted and this led to the arrest of the deputy Mayor and his associates. The trio deny charges of assault and claim they are trumped-up charges.
They were released from custody at 7pm after signing warned and cautioned statements. The deputy Mayor and two of his colleagues are expected to appear in court on Wednesday in Kadoma.
‘Just to show that these are trumped-up charges one of the accused, Benjamin Chacha, was not even present at the meeting but police still went ahead and charged him,’ Saungweme said.