HARARE – A member of the R&B music group, Soulbone, was ordered to pay US$110 in damages to a city woman he allegedly attempted to strip by pulling her skirt down while thrashing her hips during an altercation.
Clever Mukadzi was ordered to pay the money with immediate effect after a woman identified only as N.Y Muzunze approached the Harare court claiming that Clever first lacerated her blouse and pulled down her skirt while hitting her on the hip in the process.
“He pulled my blouse and later tried to pull my skirt as he was hitting me on my hip. I then went to make a complaint with the police and ended up at the Harare magistrate’s court. He was found guilty and it is where I was advised to come and claim for damages here,” she said.
Clever denied paying the amount saying the US$50 fine he paid at the Harare magistrate court justifies Muzunze’s claim and that she was then one who had provoked him by peddling rumours. He said he was not obliged to pay the amount considering that the matter was already finalised at the criminal court.
“I bashed her after she peddled rumours about me. I don’t have any grounds to pay her any cent since the matter was done at the Harare magistrate court.
“I paid a fine and that was enough. I am a musician but I am not working these days. We last had our shows in October last year. You can ask my younger brother who is here,” he said.
Clever also told the court that he was eking a living from handouts and the money that he paid for a fine came from his relatives and paid the US$50 fine. My wife is pregnant and I used the remaining US$20 to pay for maternal fess,” he said.
Muzunze told the court that Clever bragged of pocketing US$100 per week after shows. Magistrate Tatenda Manhanzva ordered Clever to immediately pay US$100 plus US$10 in costs.
