Chinese duo refuses to testify

By Tarisai Machakaire

Two Chinese nationals who are facing attempted murder charges at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts have refused to testify in their trial by choosing to remain silent.

Luo Tin Gpen, 27, Li Yize, 27, who have been charged together with Gamuchirai Nigel Zuze, 23, have refused to testify after the State proved they had a case to answer.

They advised Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya on Wednesday that the law allowed them to remain silent if they wished to.

“The accused persons do not wish to testify in the defence case but they have their witnesses who are willing to testify and if any questions then arise the State can always enquire from the accused,” their lawyer had said.

Mujaya turned down the duo’s request.

However, the pair informed the court that it was not happy with the Chinese interpreter whom they wanted replaced.

“… in that case we request for a different interpreter. The one who has been interpreting has given our clients a distorted version of what would have been said in English in court,” the duo’s lawyer told the court.

The matter was adjourned for two weeks while State secured another interpreter.

The two Chinese had filed an application for discharge at the close of the State case, arguing that the victims had failed to identify them as perpetrators of the offence.

The State alleged that on February 19, the two Chinese nationals and Zuze shot and seriously wounded Kevin Guzah and Kudzai Nduku in Belgravia.

The court heard that as Guzah and Nduku approached number 17 Lincoln Road, they heard a gunshot and immediately made a U-turn and drove towards a nearby service station.

It was alleged that Gpen, Yize and Zuze got into their Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle and began chasing after Guzah.

Guzah allegedly lost control of his vehicle and rammed into a fuel pump before one of the suspects shot Nduku, who was on the passenger’s seat and assaulted her with a gun butt on the head.

He allegedly jumped out of the vehicle and fell into a trench, as he tried to flee the scene.

The accused trio allegedly rushed to the trench where they shot Guzah in the pelvis and right leg, before bundling him into the boot of their vehicle and took him to the police station, as Nduku remained behind writhing in agony.

According to the State, the trio was found in possession of the firearm used to commit the offence. DailyNews