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Fungai Jachi Court Reporter
The trial of two MDC-T members who are facing charges of assaulting a Zanu-PF youth in Budiriro, Harare, kicked off yesterday at the Mbare Magistrates’ Courts.

Amos Mudondo (32) and Doesntmatter Mawana (32) appeared before magistrate Ms Jackie Munyonga, who rolled over their case to today for continuation of trial.

The State opened its case by calling Monica Gwazawani (19), who is the complainant, and she told the court that the pair had assaulted her for failing to chant the MDC-T slogan.

“These two men approached me wearing their MDC-T T-shirts and asked me to chant their slogan,” she said.

“Instead, I chanted the Zanu-PF slogan. They shouted at me, asking if I was seeing anyone wearing a Zanu-PF T-shirt and that is when they started assaulting me.”

Mudondo and Mawana, through their lawyer Mr Obey Shava, denied the allegations, saying they were the ones who were actually assaulted by Zanu-PF youths.

“My clients were the ones who were assaulted and this was evidenced by the visible fresh wounds that they had on their initial appearance before your sister magistrate Ms Tshuma,” said Mr Shava.

“The two were assaulted by Zanu-PF youths who told them that they had no right to wear MDC T-shirts.”

Allegations are that on January 11 this year, Mudondo and Mawana were clad in their party regalia and approached Gwazawani who was on her way from Budiriro 4 Shopping Centre.

They ordered her to chant an MDC-T slogan, but she refused and this did not go down well with the duo, who started assaulting her. Mudondo allegedly punched Gwazawani on the shoulder until she fell and Mawana stamped on her chest, causing some injuries.

The other MDC-T supporters were allegedly watching and cheering the pair and encouraging them to continue assaulting her.

Ms Yvonne Gurira prosecuted.