A Harare man who claims to be a security aide at Zanu-PF headquarters appeared in court charged with assault after he attacked Tourism Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa and Wellington Vengesai.
Anthony Mwedziwendira (30) appeared before Harare Magistrate Apollonia Marutya who convicted him of assault at his guilty plea.
He was fined US$200 and risks going to jail if he fails to pay the fine.
Mwedziwendira will however be back in court Tuesday for a bail hearing in a case where he is accused of unlawful possession of drugs.
In this case, he is jointly charged with his suspected ‘agent’ Jasper Kuziva (25).
According to prosecutor Thomas Chanakira, on January 30, at around 10:15pm and at number 6 Trude Mansions, corner 6th Street and Five Avenue, Harare Vengesai in the company of Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa and Handson Gapa walked out of his apartment and accompanied Mnangagwa to his motor vehicle parked outside after attending a celebration party held at Vengesai’s premises.
“On the way to the parking lot, Vengesai came across Mwedziwendira who was talking at the top of his voice complaining that Vengesai and his team had blocked his motor vehicles,” the court heard.
The court further heard that he charged towards Mnangagwa whom he held by the collar before turning and charging towards Vengesai.
Mwedziwendira held Vengesai by his beard using both his hands and asked him why he was not shaving.
He went on to say that if the complainants were to make fun of him he was going to shoot them although he did not produce any firearm.
Vengesai managed to push him away and went on to try and restrain Gapa who overpowered him.
Mwedziwendira started shouting “hamuna zvamunondiita hamumbondibvisi pano”.
After that, he went to one of his cars parked outside and drove off at high speed.
On January 30, at around 10:15pm, ZRP Fife Avenue received a report that accused persons were dealing in dangerous drugs at Fife Avenue shops and that the accused one had been involved in a brawl with concerned members of the public.
Detectives proceeded to the said place and realised that the accused had fled the scene leaving four vehicles which they used to conceal their dangerous drugs.
This prompted the police to search the surroundings including the accused’s vehicles a silver BMW 530I, a red VW Beatle, a Mercedes Benz C240, and a silver Mercedes Benz C220 which were parked and used as drug bases.
The police failed to get access to the bonnets of the vehicles since they were all locked.
The vehicles were placed under 24-hour police guard awaiting the arrest of the two.
On January 31, the two accused persons were arrested at midday, and Kuziva had the car keys.
The detectives from CID Drugs then searched the motor vehicles at the scene and recovered two sachets of dagga and 1 passport in the name of Antony Mwedziwendira from a Silver Mercedes Benz C220
The two unlocked the vehicle boots and searches were conducted leading to the recovery of 26 prepared cigarettes of dagga, 21 sachets of dagga in the boot of a silver BMW 530I.
Detectives from CID Drugs then also searched the abandoned motor vehicles at the scene and recovered 30 pentral-50 pills, Sildenafil tablets, 8 cobra 120 tablets, 13 black cobra 150, 7 black cobra 200 tablets, 9 sex force, 100mg sildenafil citrate tablets, 4 Oto tablets, 1 Satchet of Viamax power sex coffee, 1 Satchet of superpower capsules passion energy,1 Satchet of man king tablet, 1 Satchet of Bang Bang strong man capsule, 1 Satchet of AK 47 super from a red VW Beatle registration number ACK 3638.
In the vehicles, police also recovered dagga packaged as 67 rods and 156 satchets in a black cooler box hidden in the boot.
The vehicles were then towed to Milton Park Police Station for safekeeping.
The two were arrested and the drugs had a street value of $825 000.
The seized drugs and the motor vehicles are being held as exhibits.