Mandebvu appeared before Hanzie facing three counts of
assault as well as one of negligent driving and was remanded out of custody to
May 21 for him to get a chance to find a lawyer outside Masvingo.
He told the court that his plea was centred on the fact
that local lawyers were shunning him since the complainant is also a lawyer and
the court may rule in his favour as he is always at court as a lawyer but the
magistrate turned down his plea saying his reasons were not satisfying.
“I am appealing to the court to allow my case to be dealt
with other courts outside of Masvingo province because the complainant is a
lawyer so the ruling can be in his favour. The ruling can only be fair if the
case is heard elsewhere.
“It is difficult for me to get a lawyer in Masvingo because
most of them are the complainant’s colleagues,” said Mandebvu.
On the night of the incident that landed him in court,
Mandebvu and Maboke’s vehicles which were going different directions sideswiped
before the vehicle Mandebvu was travelling in allegedly made a U-turn and
blocked Maboke’s car which was being driven by his wife.
It is alleged that Mandebvu disembarked from his car and
started assaulting the former mayor, his wife as well as another passenger who
was in the latter’s car.
It is further alleged that during the brawl, a car
approached the scene, failed to brake and hit Mandebvu who was reportedly in
the middle of the road seriously injuring him in the process.
Mandebvu denied the accusations and said it was Maboke who
saw his car heading to a food outlet and blocked it.
He said upon realizing that he was not in the vehicle, the
Mabokes continued their journey, which is when they saw him at a lay-by along
Masvingo-Mutare Road.
Mandebvu alleges that Maboke tried to cross the road
towards him but returned to his vehicle, reversed it and hit Mandebvu, who fell
on the ground.
He further said when Maboke and his accomplices heard that
he had been taken to a clinic in Nyika, they followed him there and became
violent assaulting his wife, mother and a nurse at the health institution.
Mandebvu is said to have since filed attempted murder
charges against Maboke alleging that he was hit by the latter’s vehicle, not by
any other vehicle as had been reported. TellZimNews
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