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From George Maponga in MASVINGO
Zanu-PF National Assembly member for Chiredzi West Darlington Chiwa yesterday appeared before a Masvingo magistrate facing charges of allegedly assaulting a Lowveld sugar cane farmer following a protracted farm ownership wrangle.
Chiwa (40), who was elected legislator during last year’s harmonised elections, allegedly assaulted Nicholas Ngorima (age not given) of Turkey Heart Farm in Triangle sugar estates in November 2012.

He denied the assault charges when he appeared before Masvingo magistrate Mrs Dorothy Mwanyisa.
Chiwa, who was represented by Mr Charles Ndlovu of Ndlovu and Hwacha argued that the assault charges were concocted by his political rivals as they tried to scuttle his plans to contest in the Zanu-PF primary elections.

His trial could not kick off in Chiredzi after Mr Ndlovu, two years ago, successfully applied for the case to be transferred from the Chiredzi Magistrates’ Court to a different court on the grounds that his client would not get a fair trial at that court.

At the time, Mr Ndlovu argued that the then Chiredzi resident magistrate Mr Langton Ndokera and prosecutor Mr Edwin Mbavarira were interested parties in the matter following a series of meetings the pair allegedly held with investigating officers and unknown politicians in a bid to nail Chiwa.

Outlining the State’s case prosecutor Mr Makita Chikamhi told the court that on November 28 2012 Chiwa who was in the company of two unidentified friends arrived at Turkey Heart sugar cane farm in Triangle.

He allegedly ordered Ngorima to cease operations and vacate resulting in a heated exchange of words between the pair.
Chiwa is alleged to then have assaulted Ngorima who then made a report at Triangle police station leading to the legislator’s arrest.