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Method Mwanjali

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Investigations into the case in which CAPS United skipper Method Mwanjali is accused of stabbing another man following a misunderstanding in a drunken brawl are complete. The State will furnish Mwanjali with a trial date next week. Mwanjali, who was recently granted $100 bail by the High Court, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe yesterday and was remanded to May 10.

The State advised the court that the docket was complete. However, the prosecution sought more time to verify whether the complainant was now fit to stand trial. Mwanjali’s accomplice and team mate Archford Gutu, who is also on bail, was remanded to the same date.

Gutu is facing malicious damage to property while Mwanjali was charged with attempted murder. Allegations are that Mwanjali (33), stabbed Tonderai Nhunzvi with a knife in the early hours of Independence Eve following an altercation in the parking lot at Longcheng Plaza in Belvedere, Harare. The State alleges that the parties to the dispute met at an intersection in the Longcheng Plaza Complex, where their vehicles almost collided, leading to a heated exchange of words and the stabbing. Gutu, who was behind the wheel, allegedly got out of the vehicle and charged towards Nhunzvi, who had three passengers.

He accused Nhunzvi of reckless driving. The misunderstanding degenerated into a fistfight with Gutu smashing the windscreen of the vehicle Nhunzvi was driving. Mwanjali allegedly joined in the melee and drew a knife. He stabbed Nhunzvi in the stomach twice.

Nhunzvi’s friend Lionel Muchena tried to stop Mwanjali, but was also injured.