Mangoma case thrown out- MDC says assault was stage-managed

The Movement for Democratic Change today said the assault on former deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma on 15 February this year, after he called on party president Morgan Tsvangirai to step down, was stage-managed to “de-brand” the party and its president as disciples of violence and to settle differences.

In a statement after the acquittal of the nine youths charged with the assault, the party said the propaganda plot to project Tsvangirai and the MDC as intolerant and violent had simply fallen apart.

“The MDC categorically states that it has never been violent and that its members who were falsely accused reserve the right to seek redress for the needless harassment and defamation arising out of the concocted allegations.

“That Mangoma and others tried to drag the name of the party into disrepute is only an indication of their failure to understand the principles of this social democratic party,” the party said.

The MDC youths were acquitted after the close of the state case.

Full statement:

Monday, 09 June 2014

Mangoma humiliated
……..as MDC members are acquitted of violence

A Harare Magistrate Mr Serima has dismissed claims by Elton Mangoma that he had been assaulted by members of the MDC at Harvest House on the 15th of February this year. The magistrate correctly found that neither Mangoma nor the video recorded before, during and after the alleged assault could identify the accused persons as the perpetrators. In fact the magistrate wondered why the people who were actually captured on video attacking Mangoma were not arrested by the police. He wondered why the complainant himself was not pressing charges against those individuals.

On the evidence of the other three witnesses who are part of the rebels expelled from the MDC was manifestly unreliable as it was too contradictory. These state witnesses said different versions of the same event. Correctly the magistrate said the evidence by Mangoma’s witnesses was pathetic.

At the close of the State case, the magistrate acquitted the nine MDC youths namely Denford Ngadziore, Francis Machimbidzofa, Enock Mukudu, Samson Nerwande, Stefani Jahwi, Paul Gorekore, Shakespeare Mukoyi, Rhino Mashaya and James Chidhakwa.

The case has vindicated the MDC position that the whole incident was stage-managed to de-brand the party and its President as disciples of violence as a means to settle differences. What has also been lost at court today is the projection of President Tsvangirai and the party he leads as intolerant and violent. That propaganda plot has now simply fallen apart at the seams.

The MDC categorically states that it has never been violent and that its members who were falsely accused reserve the right to seek redress for the needless harassment and defamation arising out of the concocted allegations.

That Mangoma and others tried to drag the name of the party into disrepute is only an indication of their failure to understand the principles of this social democratic party.

The MDC remains committed to fighting for a corrupt free government that provides for jobs, health, education and service delivery to its people without fear or favour.

Smear campaigns of the leadership and any of our members will not detract this party from its mission of bringing positive change in Zimbabwe.

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