MDC A youth leader and Masvingo Ward 4 councilor Godfrey
Kurauone has been acquitted after the State failed to prove its case.
Kurauone was charged for blocking 500m of the
Mashava-Chirumhanzu Road with stones. Magistrate Patience Madondo acquitted him
after noting several inconsistencies in the State’s two witnesses who are both
police officers.
“The witnesses’ evidence is solely based on them seeing
accused in Mashava. Accused was wanted in connection with the July 31 demonstrations
and it could have affected their judgment.
“What complicates the case is that the State didn’t even
make efforts to find accused at his homestead after supposedly seeing him in
Mashava.
“The court is therefore not satisfied that the witnesses
identified the accused. Accused is hereby acquitted” said Madondo.
The State’s two witnesses evidence was solely based on them
seeing Kurauone at around 6am in winter when it is dark.
The witnesses evidence differed. Detective sergeant
Archibald Muyambo told the court that they passed through three roadblocks
while Carry-on Muguta a Masvingo CID Law and Order member told the court that
they passed one roadblock.
Muyambo also told the court that he saw Kurauone and
identified a purple pair of trousers and blue jacket he was wearing from at
least 30 meters away.
Muguta said he saw the purple pair of trousers but could
not make out the color of the blue jacket.
Kurauone has been in remand prison for 41 days. Masvingo
Mirror
0 comments:
Post a Comment