By Precious Maphosa
Four members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association in Bulawayo have appeared in court facing charges of unlawful detention of a member of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions over an eviction notice.
Eden Kwete (62), Khulekani Ncube (56), Timothy Muzungu (58), Willard Zimbume (60) last week appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza facing charges of contravening section (93) (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23- Kidnapping or Unlawful Detention after they barricaded an office belonging to Mr Pardon Mangena (50) a regional secretary of the ZFTU which is housed at Davies Hall, the Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial offices.
The quartet was remanded out of custody and the case was postponed to 25 March for trial. Prosecuting, Mr Jethro Made said on 25 November last year at Davies Hall, the four proceeded to Mr Mangena with an intention of evicting him from the office. An altercation arose between the four and Mr Mangena over the intended eviction.
The court heard that Mr Mangena requested that the war veterans provide him with an eviction order.
However, they failed to produce the order and instead sat by the door barricading it using chairs, disregarding complainant’s plea to go and collect his children from school.
The court heard that the four remained in complainant’s office from 3 to 5.30 pm all the time threatening Mr Mangena and reminding him that they were trained to kill.
The court further heard that Mr Mangena’s wife was denied entry to the office and was made to sit outside and she heard the conversation between the accused persons and her husband who was consistently being threatened. She made a report to the police leading to the arrest of the four former freedom fighters. Sunday News.
