TWENTY-FIVE suspected hooligans who are alleged to be part
of a mob that unleashed violence in Bulawayo, burning cars, property and
looting shops, appeared in court yesterday.
The accused persons, among them a 16-year-old juvenile,
appeared separately at Tredgold and Western Commonage magistrates’ courts.
Nkosiyokuthula Sibelu (46) Lucia Mapuka (35) Oakaranda
Mudenda (35) Chancellor Maturure (29), Tendai Chinoshava (27), Coliwe Mutale
(25) Thenjiwe Ndlovu (24), Perfect Ncube (23), Sibonginkosi Mhlanga (23) Prince
Nyathi (21), Brian Sibanda , (21) and Bulangila Mwembe (19), Farai Mandava
(23), Trevor Ndlovu, (22), Shelton Hlomuka (19), Thamsanqa Moyo (31) Prince
Moyo (27), Brian Ndlovu (26), Gerald Lunga (30) and a 16 year-old juvenile who
cannot be named, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube
charged with public violence.
They allegedly broke and gained entry into Totobisa
Beergarden where they looted beer on Tuesday. The juvenile was arrested carrying 4kg sugar, two bottles
of cooking oil and two loaves of bread after breaking into Marisha Supermarket
in Old Magwegwe.
Twelve of the accused allegedly forcibly invaded Choppies
supermarket in New Lobengula by breaking the main burglar bar and doors and
gained entry into the supermarket and looted groceries.
They were arrested while inside as they tried to loot
groceries. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights’ lawyer, Mr Tanaka Muganyi who
represented the accused persons, argued that the reasons by the State were not
compelling enough to deny the accused persons bail.
Mr Ncube remanded the 20 in custody to tomorrow for a bail
ruling while the juvenile was referred to the Percy Ibbotson Home, a juvenile
facility, awaiting bail ruling.
The State led by Mr Kenneth Shava opposed bail, saying
releasing them would send a wrong message.
He argued that the State had a strong case given that the
accused persons were arrested at the scene of the crime.
At Tredgold Building, Fidelis Moyo (43) of Njube suburb,
Gideon Mbira (41) of Makokoba suburb, Tichaona Mkandla (35) of Kingsdale,
Nkosikhona Sibanda (24) of Reigate, Owen Ndlovu (39) of Queenspark and Bekezela
Dube (18) of Nkulumane appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya
facing charges of public violence and criminal nuisance.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and were
remanded in custody to January 21 pending trial.
Prosecutors said on Monday, the accused persons were
allegedly part of a mob that staged mass protests dubbed “Zimbabwe National
Total Shutdown” and went around looting shops, burning vehicles and private
properties and disrupted public order and peace.
One of the accused persons allegedly insulted police while
they were carrying out their duties during the protests at Entumbane Shopping
Mall.
The accused persons were part of the crowd that allegedly
damaged property and burnt tyres, barricaded roads and threw missiles at the
law enforcement agents.
Mbira was arrested after he was allegedly spotted by police
officers starting a fire between Basch Street and 3rd Avenue near Vundu Flats
in Makokoba suburb.
Mkandla and Sibanda, acting in concert, allegedly went to
Number 1 shops along the Bulawayo-Nkayi road and blocked the movement of
traffic by barricading it with stones.
Ndlovu and Dube ganged up and allegedly barricaded the same
road at Romney Park flyover using tyres and logs.
They were arrested at the scene while carrying stones.
Others were arrested while drinking the looted beer. The
planned three-day nationwide stay away was called by the Zimbabwe Congress of
Trade Unions (ZCTU) and other civil society organisations aligned to the
opposition MDC-Alliance.
The protesters also turned parts of the city’s western
suburbs into no-go areas as they set up barricades, makeshift roadblocks, burnt
tyres and attacked police officers and other law enforcement agents.
A police car was burnt down in Pumula suburb while Choppies
Supermarkets in New Lobengula and Entumbane and other shops in the western
suburbs were looted during the protests.
Hooligans were on the rampage looting shops, torching the
buildings after the looting, assaulting innocent people who refused to join
them.
During the past three days, the hooligans fought running
battles with the police who on many occasions were forced to use tear gas to
disperse the marauding drunken youths. Chronicle
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