Cop granted bail for murder while MDC-T activists spend over 2 years without bail
BULAWAYO – The policeman who allegedly killed a flea market vendor from Cowdray Park last month has been granted $500 bail with stringent conditions which include reporting to the police thrice a week.
Brighton Chagonda’s lawyer Mr Jonathan Tsvangirai of Dube-Tachiona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners applied at the High Court for bail which was granted by Justice Lawrence Kamocha.
Chagonda (27) who resides at Luveve Police Camp, was ordered to report on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Luveve Police Station and to reside at the same camp which he gave as his address.
He was also ordered to surrender his travel documents to the Assistant Registrar of the High Court and not to interfere with witnesses. Chagonda appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove yesterday who gave him a longer remand to 25 October.
He has not been formally charged with the murder of Mrs Sithabile Ndlovu-Ncube whose naked body was found dumped in a storm drain on 19 August.
The court was told that Chagonda and Mrs Ndlovu-Ncube (35) were lovers but the two were always fighting. Chagonda allegedly assaulted Mrs Ndlovu-Ncube, a former illegal money changer popularly known as usiphatheleni, when she told him that her marriage was about to break because of their affair.
It is alleged that on 19 August at about 1am, Chagonda and Mrs Ndlovu-Ncube were outside house number 2554 in Cowdray Park when they allegedly had an altercation.
Chagonda allegedly slapped her and also used sticks to beat up Mrs Ndlovu-Ncube, leaving her with bruises all over the body. Mrs Ndlovu-Ncube’s body was allegedly found lying in a storm drain by neighbours at 6am.
According to court documents, evidence linking Chagonda to the murder of Mrs Ndlovu-Ncube is that he was allegedly seen by neighbours assaulting her near the storm drain where her body was found.
It is also alleged that the clothes that Chagonda was wearing on the day in question had blood stains. Mr Malvern Nzombe is representing the State.
The release of the policeman on bail is in stark contrast to four MDC-T activists who remain detained for over 2 years inside Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison over the alleged murder of police Inspector Petros Mutedza in Glenview in May 2011.
This is despite the brother and father of the murdered cop testifying in court that the group of 29 who are being charged are in fact innocent.
Those remaining in custody include Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa, Last Maengahama and Simon Mapanzure. One of those detained, Rebecca Mafikeni (29), passed away last month at Parirenyatwa Hospital after her condition in prison deteriorated.
