By Staff Reporter
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, son of the late former President Robert Mugabe, appeared before a Concession magistrate facing five counts of assault after he allegedly attacked some security guards, accusing them of harbouring criminals.
Chatunga (28) is jointly charged with two other suspects, his bodyguards, Peter Fredson and Tinashe Mupawo.
The trio were released on US$200 bail each.
There are five complainants in the case.
In the first count, the complainant is Ntandoyokuza Nyathi (31).
He is employed as an external security guard at Ultimate Mine, Mazowe.
According to the state, on June 25, at around 1600 hours, the complainant was on duty at Ultimate Mine, Mazowe, where he was guarding the premises with a security dog.
He was at the boundary of Ultimate Mine and Grace Mugabe’s Iron Mask farm when the accused persons approached him in pursuit of illegal miners allegedly evading arrest from Iron Mask security guards.
“One of the accused persons fired a shot from an unidentified pistol and the illegal miners escaped. The accused persons charged towards the complainant whom they accused of harbouring illegal miners.
“They altogether assaulted the complainant with open hands and fists before he fell,” the court heard.
It is alleged that the trio stomped on the complainant several times whilst he was lying down.
They ordered the complainant to carry a sack of gold ore to their premises, where they also took turns to assault him using wooden logs and an iron bar.
The complainant sustained several injuries and went to report the matter at ZRP Mazowe where he was referred to the hospital for medical treatment and examination.
In the second count, the complainant in this case is Philip Chipara, employed as an internal security supervisor at Ultimate Mine, Mazowe.
He was also on duty at Ultimate Mine when he was assaulted.
He heard a gunshot sound at the boundary of the Ultimate Mine and Iron Mask farm and went to investigate.
Upon arrival, he saw his colleague, Nyathi, who was patrolling with a dog being assaulted with fists, booted feet and a shambock all over the body by the accused persons.
“The complainant enquired as to why they were assaulting their security guard.
“The accused persons charged towards the complainant and started assaulting him with fists and booted feet all over the body,” the court heard.
It is alleged that the three handcuffed Chipara, together with Elvis Bvumbe and later released them.
Bvumbe is the other complainant.
Chatunga and his bodyguards also assaulted Collen Muchemwa and Waddington Mutadza who were also on duty at the mine.- NewZimbabwe.com
