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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent

FOUR people allegedly assaulted their landlord with shovels over a rental fees disagreement.

Trust Zivei (25), his wife Lorraine Zivanai (22), his brother Desmond Zivei (25), and their friend Tafadzwa Chivizhe (22) were facing attempted murder charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga.

They were freed on $5 000 bail each.

The two complainants are Wazir Suhyz Ahmed, a pensioner and his son Shakira Ahmed.

Ahmed and his son are tenants and stay in a cottage at a house owned by Olga Bhatti who stays in the main house.

It is the State’s case that on July 30, at around 6.30am, Bhatti had an altercation over rent deposit with accused, Trust and his wife Zivanai who are also her tenants.

Tafadzwa and Chivizhe, who stay in the same location were called during the scuffle. Bhatti then called Ahmed and his son after the accused persons turned violent.

The court heard that the complainants proceeded to the main house and witnessed the accused persons harassing the landlady.

The complainants allegedly tried to engage with the accused persons not to harass the landlady but this did not go down well with the accused persons who threatened to assault the complainants.

The State alleges that the complainants sought refuge in the main house but the accused persons broke the door and got inside.

While in the house, the accused persons took some garden tools which they found in the house and used them as weapons to assault the complainants.

They allegedly took a shovel and hit the first complainant on left leg while the second complainant was hit several times with a mattock handle on the head.

The police were called and arrested the four.