CHIEF Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni together with his 13
subjects, who are facing charges of allegedly destroying a villager’s property
in Ntabazinduna, will know their fate on August 15.
Ndiweni (54) and 13 other villagers pleaded not guilty to
damaging Mr Fetti Mbele’s property when they appeared before Bulawayo
magistrate, Mr Gladmore Mushove.
The matter went on a full trial with a number of witnesses
testifying, including Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Cde Obert Mpofu. Ms
Mushove remanded the accused persons to August 15 for judgment.
Cde Mpofu’s involvement in the case came following Chief
Ndiweni’s testimony in court last year during which he claimed the allegations
emanated from Cde Mpofu’s efforts to “fix” him after he had filed criminal
charges against the politician.
He alleged that Cde Mpofu stole 200 cattle from his late
father, Chief Khayisa Ndiweni.Chief Ndiweni said he had reported the stock-
theft case at Mbembesi Police Station, but Cde Mpofu allegedly used his
influence as then Home Affairs Minister to make the docket disappear.
Chief Ndiweni further claimed that politics was at play in
the matter, accusing Cde Mpofu of influencing Mr Mbele, his wife and members of
Zanu-PF to interfere with his traditional court order.
However, Cde Mpofu in his testimony, said Chief Ndiweni was
in the habit of making false allegations against the Government and the ruling
party due to ignorance since he had spent many years out of the country.
According to court papers, Mr Mbele of Ntabazinduna was
banished from the village by the chief after his wife Ms Nonkangelo Mpengesi
was allegedly caught having sex with another villager.
In July last year, Chief Ndiweni ruled that Mr Mbele and
his “adulterous” wife should be banished from Sifelani village, saying
“prostitution” will not be tolerated in his area.
The accused persons’ lawyer, Mr Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi
Ncube Law Chambers, early last year asked the court to subpoena Cde Mpofu to
testify in court following allegations by the traditional leader implicating
him in their arrest.
However, Cde Mpofu, through an affidavit dated July 6,
2018, which was brought to court by his lawyer Mr Byron Sengweni, declined to
testify saying he knew nothing about the matter.
Mr Dube then sought a court order compelling Cde Mpofu to
attend court after which the latter was served with the summons.Chief Ndiweni
and the other accused persons are denying the violence charges levelled against
them by Mr Mbele.
The prosecutor, Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza, said on July 26
last year at around 4PM, Mbele and his wife arrived from Bulawayo to find some
villagers standing outside their homestead.
Kimpton Sibanda (72), a village head and two other
villagers, claimed they were ordered by Chief Ndiweni to destroy Mbele’s garden
fence and kraal.
“Sibanda instructed the villagers to destroy the fence and
kraal. At around 5PM, Chief Ndiweni arrived and ordered the villagers to
continue destroying Mr Mbele’s fence and kraal,” said Mr Jaravaza.
The order followed Mr Mbele’s alleged defiance of Chief
Ndiweni’s verdict to divorce his wife.
Chief Ndiweni had given a ruling that Mr Mbele’s wife
should vacate her husband’s home, but she did not comply with the order since
they had resolved the matter as a couple, prompting the chief to order the
destruction of his fence and kraal. Chronicle
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