Chinese baby causes stir in Harare court

Proceedings during a Harare Civil Court session were temporarily stopped on Wednesday after people in the courtroom disturbed proceedings by cheering a woman who had brought along her Chinese husband and their child. 

Venencia Mandimutsira who was strapping the baby on her back and father Wang Dejun appeared at the court where they were seeking a protection order against her workmates Martin Nhengure and Wonderful Nyawasha.

Mandimutsira doubles as a worker for Dejun together with Nhengure and Nyawasha. Upon entering the court, people in the gallery could be heard whispering “Look East Policy” before busting into bouts of laughter.

This resulted in proceedings being halted for some minutes, with some loudly teasing the man for failing to pay maintenance for their sister. But it turned out that the couple was not in court for marital issues, but wanted Mandimutsira’s workmates to stop harassing her.

“Nhengure harasses me at my place of residence and I have reported the matter to the police on several occasions,” she said. “I have several medical affidavits to show he partnered with Nyawasha to assault me.”

Dejun said they had an altercation with Nhengure and Nyawasha in July, before they teamed up against him and Mandimutsira.

“I argued with Nhengure and he punched me in the face,” he said. “Other Chinese nationals whom I stay with came to refrain him, but he continued attacking me. I went to the kitchen and came back with two knives and they ran away after punching Mandimutsira.

“They bully, harass and insult us in the presence of many people.” In their defence, Nhengure and Nyawasha said they were workmates and Mandimutsira was the one in the habit of harassing them at work.

“Mandimutsira works as an interpreter and harasses us and says nothing will happen to her because Dejun is our boss,” said Nhengure. “I fought Dejun in self defence after he punched and kicked me because I was defending Nyawasha who had not opened the gate on time for him.

“Mandimutsira joined in the fight and strangled me and they were communicating in Chinese during the fracas.”

Nyawasha told the court that he punched Mandimutsira because he wanted to escape from Dejun who was wielding two knives. Magistrate Ms Rebecca Kavhiya ordered Nhengure and Nyawasha not to assault or insult Mandimutsira and Dejun. The Herald