AN aspiring MDC-T councillor for Bulawayo’s Ward 21 and another party member have been arrested for allegedly assaulting another aspiring councillor during the party’s primary elections held on Sunday in Sizinda suburb.
Tinevimbo Maphosa (37) and Michael Mabasa (35) ganged up with Kunashe Muchemwa and Shelton Tembo who are still at large and allegedly assaulted Mr Thamsanqa Ncube.
Maphosa is the MDC-T Secretary for Healing for Bulawayo Province. Ncube was allegedly assaulted after he uncovered irregularities during the voting process and alerted election officials.
After the voting process, Ncube approached election officials intending to file a complaint and the quartet approached him and assaulted him. Maphosa and Mabasa were not asked to plead when they appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube yesterday facing assault charges. Mr Ncube remanded them out of custody to Friday for plea recording.
Prosecuting, Mrs Memory Ndlovu said on Sunday Thamsanqa and his assailants participated in the party’s primary elections held in Sizinda. “As the elections were progressing, Thamsanqa unearthed some irregularities that were going on and alerted the election officials who promised to attend to the queries after the voting process,” said Mrs Ndlovu.
“After the voting process, Thamsanqa approached the election officials intending to file his complaint and that is when Maphosa and Mabasa approached him in the company of Muchemwa and Tembo who are still at large. The four assaulted Thamsanqa with fists and kicked him several times all over the body.”
The court heard that Thamsanqa was rescued by security officers who were present at the election venue. He reported the matter at Tshabalala Police Station. – Chronicle
